


Heart Like A Kick Drum

by Milesupshur47



Series: Perfect Space [4]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Interspecies Relationship(s), Romance, Slice of Life, wildehopps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-09-25 19:15:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 80,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9840284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milesupshur47/pseuds/Milesupshur47
Summary: The obligatory "Meet the Parents" story. As Judy and Nick grow closer more obstacles and situations arise. But there's nothing they can't face as long they're together.





	1. A Day in the Life...

**Author's Note:**

> I have decided to bite the bullet and start uploading what I have of this story. I've been putting it off too long and haven't dedicated nearly enough time to this story alone so we're doing this now. This story will consist of a few concise story lines and a series of one-shots peppered in. And you best believe there's moar fluff to be written! It's what keeps me going with a smile on my face:)
> 
> Forward and onward!

\---

"Crap! Crap, not them!" a lone hyena cursed loudly, dashing down an alleyway. Behind him a red fox dressed in blue shadowed after him, pumping his legs furiously to carry him as fast as he could muster. He was trailing behind the hyena at top speed through the back alleys of Savannah Central, weaving in and around the scattered refuse typical even in the pristine crags and cracks of this part of town. The murky brown mammal toppled trash cans, knocked over loose fencing and pipes in hopes of thwarting the fox's pursuit, but the vulpine masterfully dodged and parried the various obstacles.

He clutched at his shoulder walkie, shouting an update to the other side.

"This is Wilde, suspect is turning down 4th and Central! I'm on his tail!"

From the other side of the call the familiar tune of his partners voice sounded her reply.

"I'll see if I can cut-"

Nick eyed ahead of the panicking predator. "Hold that thought!"

The hyena scrambled up the forthcoming chain link fence, barley managing to tumble over it and dash around the next corner. Rather than follow suit, Nick instead mantled the adjacent dumpster lid and vaulted the jagged metal barrier in one go, clean as a whistle. The academy had taught him how to pursue efficiently, but his partner had taught him to think outside the box.

Nick stumbled from his landing and rounded the corner of the alley opening just in time to see a length of pipe swing at his head. He narrowly dodged under it, whizzing past the grimy metal and replying with a lashing backpaw of his own. The strike landed in the hyenas jaw sending him reeling back onto the street sidewalk, but hyenas were always tougher than timber wolves or foxes; he swung the pipe again catching the corner of Nick's knee and delivered a swift kick to his chest, sending him crashing to the ground back inside the alley.

Nick's chest heaved at the sting of his ribs. He propped himself on his elbow and clutched at his side. The hyena stood over him, readied the pipe for a swing at the lying officer, his paws shaking anxiously against the cool metal. With gritted teeth Nick spotted the hyenas face from under his ragged hoodie. He was young, maybe even half Nick's age, probably still in high school.

Nick raised a paw in a halting gesture at the kid.

"Whoa there, kid. Let's not do something you'll regret, huh?"

Nick could tell from his expression that he was more scared than determined to give out a beat down. He saw his grip loosen on the pipe sag momentarily, but he raised it again pulling back for another blow. Before the coup de grâce could be delivered, he was stopped by the loud crackle of Nick's radio cutting through the still air.

"How about the beach? I'm told the coast looks beautiful in this weather."

The hyena raised a brow at the comment and Nick cautiously moved his paw to the reply button, his green eyes never leaving the young burglars gaze.

"We're talking about this now, Carrots?" He rolled his neck and the hyena slackened his posture. "And it's a little cold right now don't you think?"

"Hmm, you're right, as always. Hold on just one second."

With that, a loud screech of tires on concrete squealed from the street and the black and white tail of a police cruiser skidded out from beyond the wall into the hyena, sending him flying back into a mailbox. The car slid to a stop and the driver side door opened and closed with no visible mammal at first, but after the soft patter of footpaws Nick was pleased at the sight of his partner, resting her paws on her hips when she spotted the fox on his back. Judy smiled with half-lidded eyes.

"Lying down on the job, eh Slick?" 

Nick sat up and shrugged, rubbing at the sting in his side. He was really getting tired of getting knocked in the ribs. "Only when you're not around to keep me in check, Carrots." He stood up from his spot on the asphalt and flexed his back. The strain of his ligaments was his reward. "I landed on my tail."

Judy snorted a laugh but kept her smile, leaning in towards him.

"Shame you didn't land on your inflated ego," she said straightening his tie. "Might've hurt less."

Her paws left his tie with two quick, but affectionate pats to his chest. He brightened a little at her touch but straightened and kept his collected smirk.

"Har har." Nick chose not to mention the constant stumbles Judy had in their off time after work. She had her area of expertise on the job, chewing through cases like a beaver through a dam, and Nick had his skills in the social side of it all. They complemented one another rather well when he thought about it.

They both turned towards the unconscious burglar on the toppled mailbox, lying still except for his rising chest and the odd groan of pain.

Nick pointed a thumb over his shoulder at the slumbering form, keeping his gaze on Judy's shimmering eyes. "What should we do with him?" 

Judy started after the hyena, a kick in her step. This wasn't her favorite part of the job, but nothing would throw a shroud over her perfect day.

"Cuff him, read him his rights, and back to the station. The days almost over as is." With a flick silver she clicked the cuffs over the criminals scrawny wrists right as Nick arrived at her side to help haul the kid to the cruiser. They heaved him to his feet, mostly through Nick's superior stature, and slid him into the back seat of the cruiser with no muss or fuss. Nick secured the lock and Judy tossed him the keys. He reflexively snatched them out of the air and eyed them curiously from his raised paw.

"Gee boss, you think I'm ready for this kind of responsibility?" he inquired mockingly. Judy always called first dibs on the driver seat and fought tooth and claw to wrestle the keys most days from her russet furred partner. Nick mostly did it to get on her nerves, but more so for the fact that she would usually win with a peck to his cheek when no one was watching. It was a small victory regardless of circumstance.

She rolled her eyes.

"Come on now, don't make a big thing of it. Now help me move this mailbox. I don't want destruction of public property on my permanent record from the Chief." She began to lift at the metal box in vain while Nick half-smiled at her straining form, pleasantly entertained as his eyes lingered over her. Not even the job would keep him from stealing a glance at his beautiful companion.

"Yes ma'am."

\---

The drive back to the precinct was uneventful, with Judy reading their passenger his rights and the riot act, and Nick looking eagerly satisfied with being in the drivers seat for once. 

Judy was kind enough not to scare the kid too much, or as much as a cute little bunny could, and she voiced her honest opinion that he was young enough that he might get off with a warning or even better, community service. Nick snickered at her telling tone and obvious inclination to the more laborious of the two sentences and he clacked his teeth to prevent a strait up guffaw. Judy merely shot him a lighthearted glance that still conveyed her minute ire and the fox was quickly silenced even if he did keep his slick smile.

When they pulled up to the ZPD Judy hopped out and with Nick standing guard at her side they guided the hyena into the lobby where they handed him off to a fellow officer in blue, a hippo, walk their sour faced perp to booking. Nick sighed and shook his head, still a little worse for wear from the previous scuffle with the hyena.

He rubbed at the stiffness in his neck. "Kids just a pup," he mused. "He shouldn't be out there so young stealing purses."

Judy bumped her hip into Nick's side, drawing his solemn expression at the disappearing sight back to her with a reserved smile. He brightened a bit more when he beheld the vision of his partner and she was glad to provide him comfort.

"Sometimes the world makes us play the cards we're dealt," she said with a little more grit than was typical of her gleeful persona. Judy shook away the dark and smiled back up to her fox with a curious gleam in her purple eyes.

"Were you ever that crazy, Slick?"

He closed his eyes in a chuckle. The recollections came swimming back to him, the exploits of his youth etched firmly into his brain.

"Sure. Crazy like a fox," he winked from behind his shades.

Nick explained the folly of his younger days and how early of a bloomer he was when he started his hustle on the street. He had never been so green as to steal a ladies purse, but Nick was no stranger to the more "paws on" line of work. At least when he pulled a job no one was hurt; a broken window here, a picked lock there, but the young Nick Wilde kept his nose clean out of heavy work. 

He laughed meekly. "That was more Finnicks forté."

Judy gave a knowing frown, nodding before her thoughts were interrupted by the nonchalant musing from her partner.

"I hope our kits don't grow up like that." His shoulders shook in a shudder and he walked off intent to finish the paperwork for the day but behind him the bunny had stopped in her tracks.

Judy's eyes had gone wide and her pupils shrunk to a pinhead. Her fur paled and the blood ran from the usually exuberant pink of her ears as she froze in place, eyes glued forward. It was like a roulette wheel had land smack-dab on the double zero, but Judy had bet the house on red.

'Kits. He said kits.'

It took a moment before Nick noticed the silent absence of his favorite fur ball at his side. He turned back to her, fiddling with his glasses in his paws.

"Carrots?" he opened carefully. "You alright?"

Judy deadpanned a slow nod, and for a second her foot thumped like a jackhammer. Nick cocked his head at her reluctant stroll to and past him, her movements passing without so much as a word. His eyes watched her disappear into the locker room with her silent ambiguity tingling his thoughts with each step.

He looked around the lobby for the missing clue, lifting and dropping his arms when it failed to present itself.

"What'd I say?"

When there was no answer to his rhetoric he shrugged, flicked his shades over his face, and headed for his desk. Clueless or not, there was still work to do. Judy would come around. She always did.

\---


	2. Wondering Why

\---

After hours finally clocked around and Nick leaned back in his rolling chair. Across from his seat the desk tag of Judy Hopps stared him in the eye and Nick stared right back at it in patience. He hadn't actually spoken with Judy since they booked their purse thief from earlier today and Nick was beginning to worry.

There had always been days where Nick twisted the barb just a little too tight and Judy would rebuff his attempts at witty banter with playful, or sometimes serious silence. But, every time she would come around to forgive him when he inevitably ended up asking for it. Today Judy was nowhere to be found and Nick couldn't put his finger on why.

The clock chimed for closing time and Nick pushed away from his desk and headed for the locker room. A quick change of clothes and a casual twist of a tie around his scruffy neck, and Nick was out the door ready to head home if not for his tendency to walk his girlfriend to the subway.

After a healthy waiting period she finally poked her head out the front door. Judy scanned the courtyard and, after spotting her fox vigilantly gazing back at her, reflexively rescinded her probe outside. It was hard to miss those adorable ears at the best of times. Now they were painfully easy to see as they flattened against her back in a telltale sign of concern.

Nick waved to her with a coaxing warmth in his smile. Judy looked back with her big eyes and caved, walking to him with her paw clutching at her other arm and a noticeable shame in her expression. Nick's own smile straightened out with worry.

"Hey," he greeted as she approached keeping her eyes meeting his. "I missed you for most of the day. You alright?"

Judy tilted her head on its side with a shrug to her shoulders.

"I mean...no?" She still didn't want to look at him for fear of those emerald gems seeing right through her. Judy was good at reading him, but Nick could read everybody, and she was no exception.

Nick's eyes flashed with worry but he hid it quickly. Judy was his sole focus right now, and he needed to be strong for her. They promised each other.

He kneeled before her, placing a paw on her arm. Thankfully she didn't pull away in the openness of the courtyard and a trace of confidence was transferred into her. Her ears rose a twitch but remained flush with her body.

"Judy, what's wrong?"

She finally deigned to turn her leer at him and that conveyed everything the pair needed to see in the each other. Worry and support. Uncertainty and understanding. But their words still needed to confirm what their minds were already hoping for.

"Can I," she looked around lowering her voice to a whisper so only Nick could hear. "Can I stay over tonight? I want to talk about something with you."

Nick furrowed his brow in thought. He wasn't in trouble, that was clear enough, otherwise Judy wouldn't want to be anywhere near him. But that still didn't clear the shroud of worry from his hearth of emotion. They could settle it at home. Nick felt more comfortable with Judy in the privacy of the apartment anyway.

Nick nodded, donning a slight, soft smile.

"Of course, Judy."

She brightened at his tone and the mention of her name. Nick had grown more supportive in recent memory and it warmed Judy's heart to see him stronger, more confident around her, with her and his heart in mind. She only wished that they could embrace here and now in the front of the precinct but it was not to be. They still hadn't been on the up and up with the chain of command for fear of vitriol and spite from the more spurious coworkers, not to mention the odd passerby in the public space.

Almost to read her thoughts, Nick reached down and gave a quick squeeze to her paw. It was a simple gesture, but it washed away some of the worry there, enough to give Judy the energy to start their commute.

"Okay," Nick said. "Let's go home."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a bite size chapter, but I'm trying pace out what I have. Hopefully it doesn't feel too disjointed (or at all) moving forward!


	3. Undisclosed...Desires?

\---

Judy had found herself spending time at Nick's place more and more often in recent memory.

Can't fall asleep? A visit to curl up with Nick was never out of the question no matter what time of night it was.

Bad day at work? Nick probably shared the sentiment and they wouldn't even bother separating past the front door.

The walls of life closing in just a little too tight? Call Nick. And no matter the case Judy always felt better. And all it took was a foxy little smile and that familiar look in his eyes to rid her of the chill in her heart.

The kissing helped too.

This felt like one such time, Judy thought as she walked past the threshold, Nick holding the door to his apartment with notable anticipation to what ailed his rabbits thoughts. Judy's own pulse quickened with a yearning to confess her doubts. Even for her, star officer of the ZPD, and captain of the optimist squad, the tendrils of dissent still wormed into her mind. But that's what she had Nick for, and they both knew it.

At the far wall where the window took up most of the view, Judy took her place on the chair she had moved into the apartment; a plush recliner big enough to comfortably seat both a gray bunny and a russet fox. Nick reasoned that Judy spent so much time at his place anyway that she might as well add a piece of personality to make it more like home. An idea she had readily accepted without question.

Now the apartment that she had once found so unexpected and alien was a home away from home. Nick would argue that she felt more at ease here than she did in her own apartment at the Grand Pangolin Arms. Even if it was true Judy would never admit it to her fox. He was smug enough as it was.

'So wonderfully smug,' she found herself thinking. 'And he's perfect that way.'

If that wasn't the problem, then why did she feel an unfamiliar knot twisting in her stomach?

Nick clicked the door shut after him and slid the chain lock into place. He shadowed Judy's path until he was on front of her and found sufficient comfort at her feet in a kneeling position. Judy laid her paw upturned in her lap and Nick wrapped his in her grip.

He took a moment to regard her face, downcast and struggling to meet his eyes again. Her ears were still drooping and that hadn't changed on the entire walk over here. They had just held hands and stayed silent, either for Judy's unwillingness to speak plainly to him in public, or was it fear? It was rare for anything break her aura of kindness. Judy was the best of them, the better of the two as Nick put it. She was everything that was right with him. Not his best parts, he would say. No for him those were few and far in between. But Judy made up the parts that not only made him better and want to be better, but to do better. For her. Now it was his turn to be the friend to turn to, a task he would accept without hesitation.

With a steady breath to pace himself he started.

"What's eating you, Carrots?" A spark of a joke twinkled in his eye. It might've done her some good to lighten the mood. "I know it's not your big scary fox that's got you all riled up?" he said with a bright smile and soft eyes.

Her lips edged a similar smile returning some of the veneer to her form.

"As if you could ever scare me." It was both a jab and a veiled compliment. Judy really did see her other half in her fox. Everything that she had never known she wanted, all wrapped up in a snarky little package and tied with a devilish smile. But it was now all she could see was an expectation. A deeper commitment that she wasn't sure of. Not for her and Nick, but for what it could do for their lives in a pie in the sky scenario.

Judy exhaled a sigh. Nick would no longer dance around his issues anymore. He had learned about bottling his feelings the hard way, and the fruit that tree bore were sour indeed. If he could learn to open up why shouldn't she?

She struggled to find the words, unsure on how to proceed. At the very least she gave it a start with her quiet voice just above a whisper.

"Earlier today, we brought in that young hyena boy..." 

Nick tilted his head in thought, bringing his other paw to hers. He rubbed his thumb over the top of it with care. A simple gesture that would help coax her out of her shell.

"Are you worried about the kid?" He shook his head with a slight release of a relieved scoff. "He's a first time offender. The courts won't throw the book at a purse snatcher, honeybun."

Judy replayed the words he had said when they had returned. Her innocent probe into his past, Nick recounting his past misadventures, and then the weight landing on her mind like a dozen pallets on a forklift. So simple a phrase that had such a profound effect on her. How couldn't she have known?

"No, not that kid, Nick." She gulped. "Afterwards, you said... our kids."

It was like a lightbulb flashed and popped in Nick's head, and Judy could see the puzzle pieces click behind his eyes as they widened.

"Oh," he said.

Judy cringed at the silence that filled the air, so much so that she even relinquished the safety net of Nicks paws. She turned to the window gritting her teeth. Outside, daylight was quickly fading with the sun preparing for its daily rest, sinking below the horizon. The sign across the way would soon burst to life with neon grace flooding the apartment opposite it. Judy loved to bask in the weird glow from the darkness. It was one of the few moments she would lovingly critique for being dramatically romantic, much to her delight. And she would often have her fox enjoy the light with her. 

Now she longed for those lights to burn away the shadow that befell Nicks face and make way for his smile. She needed to see it now.

A stammered chuckle sounded from her side.

"I did say that didn't I?" When Judy said nothing, Nick tried retreating into his reasoning state of mind but managed to only sound slightly less nervous than the rabbit.

"I- do you...not want kits, Judy?"

Her face bolted to his direction with anxious paws rising in an attempt to alleviate the aired concerns, waving about placatingly.

"No! I mean, yes!" She groaned, curling her knees up to her face to hide. "I mean... I don't know. Yes? Someday, I think." She scanned his face with a look of reluctant sadness. "But we can't... I don't know if..." She trailed off.

"If we can have kids," he finished for her. "And you don't know when, or if you'll ever want to."

Judy didn't want him to see her like this, with tears shimmering in her eyes because of her uncertainty. She was supposed to be the strong one, the rock. And here she was perpetuating the stereotype of an emotional bunny. She bit her lip trying to staunch the waterworks and distract her from what she felt.

"It's just...to think that far ahead, with everything that might happen, and everything to get to that point..." Her sobs started inching into her words now, and with the dam beginning to break she was met by the warm embrace of her fox rushing to her side with arms open.

She let herself go, unafraid of his judgment then. Judy needed to let it out, to let him know how strongly she felt about this. Nick held her close to him with a paw stroking her head. He rested his chin on top of her and Judy tried desperately to focus on his heartbeat, hoping for it to drown out her cries. And eventually the rhythmic beating far outshone her tears and they subsided against Nick's gentle paws.

"Judy, I want to lead a life with you in it. I hope for us to grow old together and make outdated snipes at our neighbors because they play their music too loud. I don't need kids to do that. So long as I'm with you, I'm happy."

Judy pulled back and looked up at him.

"I think I want kits one day, Nick. But it's just so...scary to think about." She leaned into him rubbing her cheek against his chest. "I want to be with you more than anything. You make me feel things like nobody else."

Nick smiled at that and Judy kept pleading with her eyes. She didn't want this to be the deal breaker, the line that she wasn't willing to cross for him. She wasn't even sure if she didn't want to cross it. Her eyes were still wet with tears but she wasn't sure if they were old or new.

"I don't know if I'll ever get to that point, but I want to do everything I can to give you the life you deserve."

Her eyes turned from pleading to searching in a slow instant and they connected with the fox's.

"Is it wrong of me to feel like this?"

Nick's wide eyes settled on hers with a growing smile. Her eyes bored into him searching for vindication. With Nick she wanted him to be okay more than anything because he made her feel loved in a way that gave her life. And she was so afraid to take away from his life that it might have driven her mad. But he was always standing there with her, ready to catch her if she fell.

"It's not something we have to think about right now," he said with an understanding twinkle in his eye. "We don't have to plan out our entire future. That's half the fun of it."

Judy beamed at him letting a ragged breath of relief escape her breast. He might have given her the same credit, but when it came down to it Nick was willing to understand her with reckless abandon. He took his time to think about her before all else, just like she did with him. It was a safe place to be, deep in his heart. With it came a sense of honesty and appreciation that made her soar.

She could see that familiar glimmer in his eye, and she cut it off at the pass.

"Don't say it," she said, her lips threatening an angry smirk.

Nick couldn't help himself. He pulled her into a kiss, running his paw along her cheek and down her arm. Judy slackened in his grasp and surrendered to his lips. Amidst it all she let out a slight whine in his mouth. That was more than enough to say what she wanted to say. He always helped. Always. 

He broke away. "You bunnies."

"I know," she said. "Did I mention I love you?"

"Every time you do my heart grows three sizes and I swear I'll regret stealing Christmas from Whoville."

Judy cupped his face. She did love this fox, and she would say it over and over until he said it back.

"You big goof."

Nick winked, satisfied and stood from the chair, his paws slipping from her arms, but not from her paws which he held aloft between them.

"I'm going to take a shower, if it pleases the court." A drip of haughty worth entered his tone as he lidded his eyes halfway. "Care to join me?"

Judy returned his smile wiping the last of her eyes dry.

"Go on. I'll catch up."

"Suit yourself," he said with a happy shrug. He slipped from her touch and headed for the bathroom calling back over his shoulder as he passed the door. "I hope I don't use all the hot water!" he teased.

Judy spit her tongue at him as he disappeared past the door and she heard his chuckle after the close. She wanted to mull over what he said, what could be in future. Kits with Nick. Without the worry of the obstacles that might plague their path, it was exciting to think about.

An unfamiliar feeling twinned on her heart, and Judy reached her paw over it in thought. Perhaps, she reasoned, it was the first signs of motherly thoughts. She wondered about her own mother, how she must have felt when her and Judy's father had felt when they found the were expecting kits. Sure, Judy and Nick could never have so many; two hundred and seventy five was something that she doubted even Nick's limitless guile could never get a grip on. But one kit... Maybe so.

Judy found herself smiling at the thought when she was reminded of her fox by a sweet baritone flowing from under the bathroom door along with a healthy helping of steam.

"I see trees of green...red roses too..." He began trying a gravelly voice and Judy's ears cringed in delight at the thought of him. She was glad for the thicker walls here at Nick's; they could never get away with singing or their other "nocturnal" activities in Judy's apartment complex, let alone the public showers there.

Right on cue the sign across the street switched to life immediately casting a pink glow over the apartment.

"Well," she started, standing up and pulling her shirt up and off, "I better show him how to actually sing before the paint starts to curl off the wall."

She left a trail of clothes all the way to the door and Nick was delighted to have her make sweet music with him.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normally I might've uploaded earlier but today was a long one and I'm only just getting home. But! I will try and stay on top of updates and writing new chapters and the like. Hopefully. Maybe. It's a scary thought. Please, comment! I crave feedback and it helps mold the writing of the future:)


	4. Parking Duty

\---

"Hopps. Wilde," Bogo bellowed at the end of roll call.

The edges of Bogo's eyes crinkled ever so slightly. To the average officer he might have seemed his usual gruff self, but to the veterans on the force they could see that in his own way he was happy to speak the next words out of his mouth.

"Parking duty."

Nick perked his ears and despite his expected uneasiness at the banal task he kept his expression cool with his simple charming smile. Meanwhile Judy screamed internally at the task she loathed most. It was more due to the fact that she had to wear that silly outfit as they did it. Regulations were regulations, but come on; she looked like the stereotype she spurned so much. At least Nick would also be stuck with the hat and vest as well.

From her side the fox smiled widely and she clenched her fingers at what was sure to be a sarcastic remark.

"Thank you sir! You sure know how to treat a girl right!"

'Bingo,' she thought with a smile. At least she could count on Nick to make the hours fly by.

The larger buffalo grumbled and glowered down at the smaller fox who sat upright and proper like a good officer should. His partner sat even straighter with her ears rivaling his height and her infectious smile threatening the fringes of the Chief's sanity. It wasn't like he searched for excuses to get rid of them, but sometimes their personalities alone grated the Chief's nerves.

Bogo gave a final belated grumble before straightening his paperwork.

"Dismissed."

The remaining officers took their leave and Bogo vanished out the side door leaving Nick and Judy to their morning banter.

Judy checked her claws, buffing them against her flak vest.

"You know one day he's liable to fire us both because of your lip."

Nick tilted his head over the table and at her, stealing an obvious glance over his bunny from head to toe and ending on her brilliant eyes.

"I thought the only one interested in my lips was you?"

Judy raised a brow over her snarky smirk. She hopped off the chair and sauntered to the exit, giving a little more sway to her hips than was necessary for her fox.

"Not at work, Slick. Come along now."

Nick rolled his eyes and shadowed after her.

"Tease."

After heading to the garage with the required armaments of a reflective vest and matching hat as was customary, they checked out the "clown-mobile" as Nick called it and zoomed into the city with the buzzing of tiny wheels beneath their feet.

Traffic duty wasn't as bad as everyone made it out to be. It was a much more tolerable tasking when the officers knew their place in the hierarchy of command with the department, and Judy had gained an ironic sense of influence after the Nighthowler case. If Nick had his way they would be calling in favors left and right keeping to the lighter loads of police work; simpler routines on patrol routes, constant dispatch assistance from Clawhauser, and yes even parking duty. But Judy was a noble creature intent on proving her worth even more to the world at large of her honorable capacity and strong capabilities.

And Nick loved that about her.

He leaned back in the seat, adjusting his vest as Judy wheeled them around another corner past the hulking automobiles for larger mammals.

"So," he started, turning to her with a smile. "Wanna try to beat last weeks record?"

Judy stared intently at the road but managed to swing a shining glint in her eye in his direction.

"Let's make the world a better place, partner." She started every work day with that saying whether the context was serious or light, or even made sense which Nick adored to challenge. Usually with a highly exaggerated argument rooted in the whole of society breaking down because of one or two minor details. "The butterfly effect," he liked to call it.

"You do realize that we're not actually bettering the world by dishing out parking tickets, right?" He picked at his middle finger with his thumb claw. "In fact, I would pose that we are in fact inspiring the next generation of hooligan anarchists by grinding them under the heel of society with these slips of angry paper."

Judy gestured to the floorboard and Nick expertly handed her the proboscis used to measure the distance of cars into the road. She flicked it out the side of the car, skimming the tires as they passed.

"You and your crazy theories, Nick. I would counter that this is a world that is in need of checks and balances for animal-kind to flourish on a steady scale of production."

"You 'would' counter, Carrots?"

The stick measured a vehicle too close into the street and Judy slid the car into park, stepping a foot out. She shot a quirky glance to her partner.

"I would. But then again a lot of animals also think a fox and a bunny shouldn't be mates." She stepped fully out of the car and grabbed the ticket writer, slapping it into her paw. "So," she finished and bounded toward the vehicle in question.

"Touché!" Nick called after her with his own toothy grin beginning to beam off the rear view mirror. Nick would be lying if he said he never thought about it, the acceptance or lack thereof if they came clean to the world about their relationship and how close him and Judy really were. He wondered about the precinct, all of their coworkers and how they might change their views. He wondered of simply holding paws in public and how that might get back to the powers that be, hovering over their heads.

'Checks and balances, indeed,' he thought. If Bogo found out he might not just blow a gasket in that horned head of his; he might take it so far as to separate Nick and Judy if not asking for their resignation outright. Nick would happily surrender his occupation if it meant Judy would keep her dream job, but she would be crushed if she lost her partner. It wouldn't change anything off the beat but spending all that time together, for it to suddenly evaporate would be jarring to say the least.

Clawhauser might fight for them. He was a good friend, better to the duo of "WildeHopps" as he so lovingly put it, than Nick would have ever expected. Ben cheered for them whenever he had a moment in private with the bunny or fox, complimenting the "perfection" that was their romance. Nick never thought he would hear that cheetah squeal louder than when Judy had told him the officials of their dating life.

Meanwhile in Nick's corner, Finnick had stumbled into the minefield of secret keeping long before Judy had fought tooth and claw into Nick's heart. The way the fennec saw it, this was just another stick on the pile; another secret to keep for the benefit of his larger fox friend. But oh how he loved to make jokes at his expense. "Jokes of rabbits feet and 'predator/prey relations' abound," Nick grumbled to himself.

All of that was to say nothing of Judy's parents and how they might react. Nick shuddered at the thought. The stereotype of the country father sat on his porch polishing his twelve gauge was not an unfounded possibility, and it chilled the fox to the bone. He would need to discuss the logistics of his relationship with Judy later. Eventually they needed a game plan, even if Nick was wont to wing it. Even he was sometimes willing to take the initiative.

Judy returned to the car to find Nick gazing wistfully into the sky outside his window, a playful half smile, half grimace played off his features.

"Eager for the night, huh Slick?" She tossed the ticket writer in his lap shaking him from his daydream. "I know I am," she said with a playful wink in his direction.

Nick listed his head to the side with a chastising glare.

"We're on duty Hopps. Let's keep it professional."

Judy stared back at him for a second before the cream colored lips of the fox crinkled into a wide smile. She shot back with her own smile.

"Oh hardy har, you goof."

Most of their days were spent like this, on the beat with back and forth banter lighting up the day between them. Judy relished every boring ticket with Nick there to lighten the mood, and Nick didn't mind just about any job so long as Judy was there. It was almost heaven if not for the metaphorical wolves at the door in their future; the threat of discovery and what that could mean. Uncertainty was their worst enemy, but still they cherished their time.

Nick found his thoughts lingering back to Judy's parents, and he leaned back in his chair as they pulled up to a red light.

"How's that train of suitors, well, suiting you?" He couldn't help but let a smug grin seep in to his expression.

Judy's usual exuberance faded with a groan and she let her head sink on to the steering wheel.

"My mom doesn't seem to get the hint." She lifted her head tossing a look his way. "I keep telling her not to bother with this kind of thing but 'mother knows best'," she air quoted without the lack of an irked frown.

Bonnie Hopps, as Nick had come to understand, was a very dedicated mother. She raised her kits with a firm, but fair paw encouraging them to always do right by other animals and to push themselves to succeed at whatever they were inspired to try. Nick figured that last bit was most in part due to Judy's unique proclivities in law enforcement. Judy had explained that this was not always the case and that her mother flip-flopped on the issue of Judy's police work but that she had come to an unspoken understanding between her and her mother regarding that.

But the one thing that seemed to earn the ire of her daughters endless optimism was her mothers willingness to insert herself as matchmaker for Judy's love life. Bonnie Hopps would call a few times a week with news of a new young buck that she thought would be perfect for Judy, usually a neighbors kit all grown up, some barely of age with a maturity to match, and most of them unsurprisingly out of their element when it came to a bunny cop with a plethora of experience tucked under her belt.

But none of them were Nick, Judy would always say. Sometimes Judy would have to be introduced to them on the phone and uncommonly some might show up in person with a train ticket tucked in their pocket courtesy of the matron of the Hopps household. Regardless of the circumstance she would always let them down easy, or as easy as she could manage. Even she couldn't find a simple way to get better at that. But she was loyal to Nick, even if it was only for the two of them to know, and that was enough for her.

"It's archaic! You would think that she was trying to broker peace between nations through marriage!"

The light turned green and Judy pressed on the gas. Nick shook his head, keeping his smile about him despite the outlandish thought of an army of rabbits trying to steal his honeybun. A few weeks ago Nick might've been worried at the thought, petrified even. But they had nipped that problem in the bud. He trusted Judy with his heart and knew how capable she was to handle the few wet towels sent her way. When that was cleared of his head the fox had begun to see the ridiculousness of the situation for what it was and joined his partner in the mocking of her mothers tactics.

"You're telling me she hasn't sent at least one rabbit prince your way? You ask me she's not trying hard enough." He chuckled to himself.

"She could send me a thousand princes and they could have more gold than Midus himself. None of them would be half as sweet as you."

She reached over the seat and gripped Nicks paw in hers. His brows knitted in a line and his eyes grew more sincere over the curve of his lips.

"Aww there you go again melting my heart." He wiped away an imaginary tear eliciting a tender head shake from the bunny. "Sly bunny."

She squeezed his paw and released it sliding back to the wheel.

"Besides, I wouldn't want to leave you just for you to change your Netflix password. You've got all my favorites on that list."

"And the moments gone. Shame, it was almost romantic too." Nick flicked his shades back on to his muzzle, tilting them forward with a wink. "Come on. Let's go make the world a...slightly more agreeable place."

Judy dragged a slow fist across his chin in a mock punch.

"Mark my words, I'll get through to you yet."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit more slice of life:)


	5. Its Decided For Us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read a sad story and couldn't stop crying so I needed a distraction. Here's another chapter.

\---

What had started out as a brainstorming session for their upcoming vacation time had mysteriously devolved into a casual make out session.

Nick had been laying across his couch in the lazy way he was fond of, dozing off into the memories that he shared there with Judy. When she had slid over to show some brochures for pleasant excursions, their noses had brushed dangerously shy of one another. Then space between them had been closed before they knew it. Now they laid on the couch, Judy splayed across Nicks chest, contemplating making a new memory to dwell happily on.

Nick chewed lightly at Judy's lips pulling a warm giggle from the bunny. Judy nipped back at him in response and he pulled away with a quirked smile at her.

The past couple of weeks had been illuminating between them, allowing for a level of openness that influenced a deeper tone of aggressiveness in their intimacy. It wasn't unfounded. They had started small, a leering look that had turned into a pinch of the rear and met with a delightfully surprised yip. Then the chilling rake of dull claws through fur. Then the biting of an exposed nape. Judy knew what she liked from her fox, and Nick knew what he wanted from his bunny. It was a sensual thrill for both of them.

"You know," he started with his eyes running over her lithe form, "you seem considerably well versed in what I want, Carrots."

Meanwhile, her paws kept exploring over his body, feeling every coarse and fluffy fiber of fur between her fingers without drifting too far south. Judy was comfortable just feeling him regardless of circumstance, but in the privacy of the apartment she was queen and could explore without threat of recourse. Well, recourse that wasn't in the shape of eager fox paws.

"But of course," she straddled his knees and began walking her fingers up his chest with each word she spoke. "You. Want. Me."

Nick looked down at her pants balancing over the more sensitive parts of his body. Almost unconsciously his paws slid up her legs and over her strong thighs, feeling the taut muscle there. Judy had healed stronger than ever, and those thighs loved to prove it when wrapped around his waist. He could still feel the soreness from last night.

He clucked his tongue but decided to deny the obvious compliment of a whistle to her toned form, instead settling for self deprecation.

"I want to deserve you."

Judys eyes narrowed with a playful smile as she gave a playful squish to Nick's face, crushing the scruff his cheek tufts together in a very entertained manner. He still hadn't come to realize how lucky she felt being paired up with a wonderful partner like him.

"What is it with guys that makes them think they're all too dark to deserve a little bit of compassion in their lives?" She stopped her squishing to straighten out the tufts which inevitably evolved into a careful stroke down his neck. Her paw stopped to rest on his shirt above his heart and Judy happily felt it beat beneath her touch.

"You're perfect for me, you dumb fox."

"In defense of my stupidity, I am a very jaded and cynical fox." He shook a fist at the air speaking with his exaggerated gumshoe imitation. "The worlds just a cruel, unforgiving place that's beaten me down too many times, rawr!"

Judy smiled and let her head lilt to the side. "What about my parents? You don't think they'll approve of my love life? Of my adoring fox boyfriend?"

Nick flashed a mock frown on his muzzle, shaking his head. "Well, not when you put it like that." He slid his paws up her arms, letting the warm flick of her short fur bring him comfort. "They weren't exactly enthusiastic when you wanted to become a police officer. How might they react when they find you're sharing bed space with a fox?"

She hummed with a shrug of concession and closed the space between the two of them with a brief, but passionate kiss. He returned it hungrily, tasting at her lips with an equally soft tenderness and a supportive paw on the small of her back.

"Well, when you put it like that," she joked quietly, breaking to steal another kiss followed by a tapering succession of gentle pecks. "Seriously Nick, whatever they say, whatever happens, it won't change how I feel about you." She snuggled into her favorite spot against his chest, finding the customary tufts of his fur with her free paws.

Nick stroked thoughtfully at her ears.

"Promise?" he asked, only half joking with the all too serious question.

Judy rubbed her cheek against him. "Now and forever. Dumb fox."

It was at that time that her phone chose to ring. Nick looked past her bunny ears to see the ever intrusive faces of Stu and Bonnie Hopps flash over the caller ID.

Judy stumbled over backwards trying to lunge at the phone.

"I believe they call this a 'cruel irony'," Nick sighed clasping his paws behind his head.

Judy shot him a shushing glance letting her semi-false exuberance crystallize her voice as she swiped the answer button.

"Hey guys!" she said with an all too excited smile, her frustration evident by her teeth set on edge.

"Hey there Jude!" her father shouted over a loud whirring in the background. Her parents faces crowded the screen with the pair of them seemingly in the kitchen, a constant flurry of bunny blurs rushing around them.

"Why are you calling so late? Is everything all right?"

Stu waved his paw at his side shooing away the unseen nuisances that plagued him.

"No, no, nothing like that. Everything's hunky dory here on the farm." His features perked at the mention of his profession. "Speaking of which, the reason why I called you-"

Judy's eyes grew in realization and she slapped her paw over her head fast enough to startle Nick who stayed far enough back to dodge the cameras eye.

"The harvest!" she said. "It's next week!"

"Sure is!" Pa Hopps replied with a smile. "I wanted to know if you were still able to make it out this year. Now I know you're busy, what with police working and all..."

"What me, busy?" She blew a raspberry out her lips. "Naw I'm free as the day is long." She couldn't help if a bit of a southern accent edged into her voice, giving it a sweet ring of twang. Nick stifled a laugh with his paw, wincing terribly at the sight of his partner devolving before his eyes.

'Ammo for later,' he thought gleefully.

Stu looked skywards in thought, bobbing his head with sheepish reluctance.

"Now I wouldn't want you taking off on holiday just to come down here and work your tail off in the field, but we'd really love to have you here Judy. The kids miss ya and all."

Judy stole a quick glance back at Nick hoping to read his desire in the situation. She had promised him a romantic getaway, a break from work just for the two of them. It had been so long since they had a reprieve from the monotony of routine law enforcement. Well, Nick saw it as monotonous. Judy relished every second, but that was neither here nor there.

Still, Nick could see her searching gaze. Internally he hoped for a little together time with his favorite honeybun, but outwardly he gave her the go ahead. Selfish as he was, when it concerned Judy, Nick would much rather she be secure in the thoughts of her family than worry about his personal desires. She would make it up to him in a way she saw fit anyways. They complimented each other nicely in that regard.

He waved a paw in gentry urging her to accept, all while donning a happy smile on his muzzle. Judy silently thanked him with a gleam in her eye before she realized how long she had been silent to her father.

"Oh, I mean... Sure, I can make it." She twirled one of her ears in her free paw, dropping her gaze. "Nick and I were going to figure something to do on break, but he'll understand." Again she quietly thanked her fox in her mind. She would make it up to him later.

Stu propped his hat up. "Well, why not invite him along?"

Judy's eyes whited out for a second. She scratched at her ear, sure she had heard him wrong.

"Huh?"

"Well sure," her dad shrugged. "We can use an extra pair of paws here on the farm, and the kids are sure to like him well enough."

His face flashed a warmth across it. "Plus he took care of you after that whole debacle not too long ago. He's practically family already."

Nick sat stock still behind Judy, frozen at the thought. He couldn't process the prospect of meeting Judy's family without a twelve gauge being involved on the Hopps side of the equation, or at the very least a fox taser. It was his cynical side of his brain dusting off the gears and trying to oil the levers while the motherboard of his mind almost short-circuited in contemplation. When Judy looked to him with a confirming gaze, Nick couldn't help but flail his arms wildly, drawing a confused line across Judy's brow.

She turned back to the phone screen, raising a shoulder in thought.

"I mean Nick wouldn't want to be a burden. I know that much."

In the background Bonnie piped up from the counter shouting over her shoulder.

"It's no trouble honey! We've got space to spare around here, he can stay in the guest space under your old room."

Stu nodded back at his wife. "S'true. We were kind of thinking over it anyway. I think it's about time we meet the boy that saved our daughters life!"

Judy unconsciously twisted at her ears in thought. She had wanted to introduce Nick to her parents the day he had graduated from the academy, explain to them the importance of him in her career defining case, but now with the added layer of her dating him on the sly... Regardless of her personal propensity for him, the scenarios she finally ran didn't seem to end favorably for the fox in question.

"So, we'll expect you over the weekend?"

Judy broke from her trance long enough to grunt an ambiguous, albeit unwitting confirmation.

"Swell!" was Stu Hopps' reply. "We love you Judy, see ya soon!" He ended the call with the phone freeze framing his face in an obligatory 'squelch' expression.

When the shock of setting up an unintentional "meet the parents" scenario wore off, she turned to Nick who wore his own expression of disbelief, his mouth hanging agape.

"Did what I think just happened happen?"

Judy frowned toothily at him. "If by that you mean getting invited to meet my family, then yes." She thought she might twist her ears off in thought. "Yes it did."

Nick groaned letting his arms drop with a slap against the couch.

"I mean, I was bound to meet them sometime." He snapped a pointing finger off to the side. "Might as well be sooner rather than later."

Judy dropped her phone on the table and slid to hide by the couch side. She curled her fingers over the edge of the arm with just the top of her head and her gorgeous amethyst eyes beaming a sad song up at the fox.

"I know I promised you we'd go somewhere just the two of us!" She forced her eyes shut, conceding her failure on her part. "But it's the harvest. It happens once a year and I completely spaced on it!" She must have been so caught up in the fervor of their romance that it must have slipped her mind.

She was greeted with a soft paw on her head, patting gently. She looked up to see Nick smirking with a raised brow.

"You're not mad at me?"

Nick shook his head. "Are you kidding me?" he chuckled. "This is going to be a disaster." He reached his arms over the couch and grabbed Judy's sides, pulling her over with a yelp of surprise from his partner. When he rested her on his chest he tenderly kissed the top of her head and Judy glared at him with hot coals burning a hole through him.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he finished with a smile.

Judy rested her head facedown on his chest in surrender.

"It's gonna be pretty bad, huh?" She looked back up at him, her features growing serious for a second. "Should I tell them?"

"About us? Your call really. I'll ride along with whatever you say, so long as we can keep what we've got going behind closed doors." He punctuated the statement with a seductive growl and Judy swatted his nose away.

"I'll think on it," she said before thinking up a jab at the tail end. "About keeping this going." She pointed a finger back and forth between the two.

"Nice try Carrots, but you're stuck with me for the long run." His brows drew to a line and he curled his cheeks in a smile. "We both know you're crazy for me." She swatted at him again and Nick laughed.

Nick pulled back giving her cheek a playful stroke with his thumb.

"Free as the day is long, huh?" he said emulating her southern twang.

"I will smite you with righteous fury, you kabernackle."

"That's a new one," he chuckled before giving a lick to her cheek.

Judy recoiled with wide eyes and an incredulous smile. "Nick!"

"What? I have to distract you somehow." He moved in for another lick which devolved into a series of playful nips and nibbles at Judy's nape.

"Stop!" she breathed out in between laughs. "That tickles!"

Nick spun her around to where he was on top of her, continuing his tickle assault all the way.

"No can do." He bent over her with a naughty leer glazed in his eyes. "The hunter lays a trap for his prey, helpless as she wanders unknowingly into his den."

Judy raised a brow and snaked her arms under his, wrapping them around his midsection.

"Helpless, huh?"

Judy pulled Nicks muzzle to hers with a kiss and he paused at her taste. Distracted, Judy seized her opportunity, and with a twist she spun him around tumbling the pair to the ground. Nick landed with a soft groan but his smile never left his lips. Judy resumed her previous straddle on top of him with an all too pleased smirk.

She leaned in close, whispering into his ear. "This prey is smarter than the average fox," she said. Her breath teased at the triangles of Nick's ears and he pulled her into him again, his own breath growing hot.

They spent the remainder of the afternoon reminding each other how helpless they weren't.

\---


	6. Preparing For the Inevitable

\---

Nick stood bleary eyed in his bedroom and stared blankly at his closet. From across the room on the dresser his phone rippled with the live feed of Judy walking around her own humble abode packing the various essentials she needed for the approaching trip.

Nick had awoken to the piercing chime of his phone at the barest crack of dawn. While he had promised to make an early start if his better half called to help remind him of the coming days (and how important they might be in theory), he was finding it characteristically difficult to focus on anything that wasn't in the shape of a bed and clothed in warm sheets. Looking back on it, asking Judy to call was the best thing for the nocturnal predator even if he felt like his head was going to fall of his shoulders it was so heavy.

Nick looked to the alarm clock and back to the closet.

'The things we do for love,' he thought with a groan.

From the other side of his phone Judy's voice chimed in, chipper as always even in the morning drear. 

"Make sure you pack some flexible clothes. Dads sure to ask us to help with the veggie haul," she said tossing a stack of shirts one after the other on to her bed from her dresser drawers. 

When she had called, Nick didn't even have time to dress himself let alone think about what to dress himself in tomorrow or the next day. Judy herself was only wearing a pair of pajama shorts and a low hanging tank top which showed a very generous part of her midsection. It was perhaps the only reason the fox managed to climb out of bed at all; the sight of his own waking beauty.

'She haunts my dreams and she even haunts me in the morning,' he joked internally to himself. 

Nick wiped his paw down his face replacing his droopy eyed mug with keen vision and a sly smile. He might not have felt awake but he could certainly put on appearances for a muzzle time call. He pulled a hanger holding one of his various loud aloha shirts, this one a blue piece with white floral pattern.

"What exactly does this harvest thingy entail?"

Judy peeked into the edge of the frame, her luminous smile brightening the room Nick stood in.

"It's a fall festival put on to celebrate a good year of agriculture." She leaned back out of frame to reach under her bed for her suitcase. "It's mostly for farming since its in the burrows, but there's all sorts of types there; fishing, prize produce, etcetera."

Back in the real world, as Nick liked to call it, where normal people required coffee to function, the fox laid out a couple more shirts before pulling his own luggage bag from the closet.

"A hoedown dedicated entirely to carrot farming," he nitpicked with a knowing lilt of snark in his voice. "One of these days we have to get you to try a nice, juicy salmon."

"Ew, no thanks Slick. I'll stick to what's good." She looked over shoulder at her phone. She could see Nick busying himself with slipping on a pair of slacks and looping his belt. With a sly smile she shimmied out of her shirt, taking longer than needed for sweet Nick.

Nick noted the silence and called back, finishing his belt.

"C'mon Carrots, whatever happened to try everythi-" he spotted his companions half clothed form and leaned back into frame for a better shot of eye candy. 

Judy's back was to the camera but there wasn't much else to add. Nick traced the arch of her back all the way to the fluffy tuft of her cottontail and he waggled his eyebrows to himself, entranced by her form. She could feel his gaze in his silence and smiled happily at the thought. She always had the perfect way to stop his jokes in their tracks and boy did she have fun doing it.

She abruptly spun around with her arm covering the more "sensitive" parts of her chest, catching her fox in the act. Nick took this as his cue to stumble back over the footboard of his bed, hitting the floor hard enough to jostle the phone propped on his dresser. The frame was overtaken with a view of the ceiling and Judy giggled to herself, thoroughly satisfied with her ploy.

"Nothing!" Nick called from the other side and staggering into view. "I, ahem, wasn't doing anything." He straightened the phone and propped his chin in his other paw looking nonchalantly to his side.

Judy put the phone face down for a second and donned her shirt before picking it up again. He was so cute when he got caught being naughty.

"Silly fox, stealing a peek at the changing bunny," she cooed.

Nick winked. "Like you wouldn't have done the same to me."

A short seriousness overtook her face. "I'm going to miss these games the next couple of days." She steepled her paws and rested her chin on them. "We'll have to tone it back while we're there."

Nick signed through a smile. "So I take it we're going undercover for this op then? No snuggle bunny or floofy tail massages?"

Judy did enjoy the warm fluff of Nick's tail draped over her in their loving cuddle sessions. And the sweet scent of him could simultaneously set her at ease and drive her wild. And the way Nick playfully tugged at her tail made her blunt her teeth with want. No, they would have to keep to themselves for this vacation. It was too soon to tell how her parents might react to their coupling.

"I'll miss them too," Judy sighed. "But like I said, I promise I'll make it up to you."

Nick fell back onto his bed holding the phone above him, the face of his honeybun focused in his gaze.

"It's going to be alright, Carrots. Worst case scenario: your dad chases me off with the fox taser and we go hide out in the treehouse."

He brought her smile back and Judy shook her head.

"I didn't have a treehouse, Nick."

His mouth drew into a mock line. "You don't? Shame. I always wanted to make out with you in one."

"There's still time," she giggled.

"WHY DONT YOU TWO GET A ROOM!"

Judy slammed her head onto the desk at the sound of her oryx neighbor, Bucky. Or was it Pronk? She could never tell from their voices alone. After a while the screaming all blurred together into one upset slurry of curse words and cheap jokes. Cheaper even than Nicks.

She lifted her head back to her phone, a passive expression of hate burned brightly in her eyes.

"If you don't mind, I have to go frame my neighbors for murder now." That was possibly the only way to get them to stay silent for the foreseeable future.

Nick laughed, a little too hard for Judy's liking but she relented.

"I know a guy if you need help."

"Send me his credentials and we'll work out a deal." Her expression softened. "Love you, Nick."

"Love you too, Carrots. Go easy on them will ya?"

"Not a chance," she said ending the call.

\---

Judy left her door open as she walked the few fervent steps to her neighbors, the Oryx's. On most days Judy's patience was infinite; she would listen to the Oryx's balk and banter from the minute they got home until they went to sleep, and even then they were bound to wake during a late night call with Nick. They had kept some semblance of boundaries in their nosy nature but...

It was one thing to argue every, single, flipping day, but interrupting her private conversation with Nick was always likely to singe her nerve endings. This was one such instance.

'And just when things were simmering so sweetly,' she thought.

Standing in front of their door Judy thumped her foot and formulated her complaint. It wouldn't be wise to go off half cocked at them. They might just as easily submit a complaint to the landlord as she could. And that was the last thing she needed. No, this required a gentle paw, a careful footing about was necessary.

Taking a deep breath to compose herself Judy reached up and knocked on the door, putting on her best passive smile.

After a pause the door creaked open a crack with the barest trace of an eye visible in the space. It searched at eye level before dropping down to see the pointed ears of Judy waiting patiently, who greeted with a friendly wave and pearly whites a gleaming.

"What do you want?" the gruff voice from the door griped out.

Judy spoke loudly but with peace in mind, supplementing her tone with a step forward to carry her voice higher.

"Hi, I'm not sure if you remember me but I'm your neighbor, Judy."

The eye narrowed from its dark recess in the room.

"Yeah, so?"

"Well," she started, clicking her teeth silently to steady herself, "I'm here about a noise concern. See I was on the phone and, this hasn't exactly been the first time, but--"

The door slammed shut a few inches from Judy's face, appropriately taking her by surprise. She took a step back at first, expecting the door to open wider after a few routine clicks and slides of a chain lock or other such fastener but no such sound rang. Annoyed now, Judy scoffed and knocked again, harder this time.

A groan sounded from behind the door and it cracked open again, the eye of the oryx looking decidedly more bothered.

"What?"

Judy unhooked her badge from her belt and held it up as her greeting, foregoing the standard pleasantries of the situation. It caught the oryx's attention who examined it with a slight crinkle of worry in his eye. She replaced the badge in its spot and stood paws on her waist but stayed her smile.

"Are you aware that most common tenant leases include a 'quiet enjoyment' clause entitling one to a peaceful coexistence with ones neighbors, and as you might guess, quiet enjoyment?"

Judy rubbed her paws together trying to alleviate the tension building in her chest but succeeded only in wringing her fingers tightly.

"Now I could go to the landlord and file a complaint with the other neighbors, as I'm sure they would also have words with you, but I would rather not. Barring that I am an officer of their law and I just so happen to know that your constant excessive volume could be construed as disturbing the peace, and considering I've been around here long enough to know this is not an isolated incident I might be motivated to make an arrest if the disturbances do not cease."

"So, it might be in your best interest," she dropped all pretense in her face and formed a glowering scowl upwards at the oryx, "to knock. It. Off."

The door shut again, quietly this time, and hushed whispers could be heard from behind the barrier. Judy stood patiently until the door opened fully to reveal her two neighbors standing before her, one with a mint colored polo and the other with a salmon t-shirt to differentiate. Both had lost any trace of animosity and seemed to be regretting their decision to mess with a bunny cop.

The minty oryx spoke up.

"We're sorry to have disturbed you officer. We just get a little carried away from time to time." He rubbed at his arm in shame. "We'll try to keep it down from here on out."

Judy wiped her paw through the air taking a long, satisfying blink and nodded in victory.

"No harm, no foul. Thank you for your time." She smiled brightly again then saluted in parting, making her way back to her apartment.

There, she stood in front of her desk for a probationary period waiting for the racket to return, but after a sufficient interval when nothing happened she hummed happily to herself and resumed packing.

Judy wasn't usually one to throw her weight around (minimal as it was), but when someone didn't even have the proper courtesy to begin talks without an iota of respect for a neighbor it really ruffled her feathers. It was difficult to tell the difference in disrespect for the fact that she was a cop or by virtue of being a bunny. Sometimes the lines blurred together and passerby so figured her as worthy of not only hate, but also an easy mark that wouldn't fight back.

How wrong they were.

Absently Judy recalled her first "real" meeting with Nick and his abrasive cynicism towards her. He had been shown the error of his ways in the most ironic way and now with him she found a partner, a best friend, and a lover. Somehow she figured that wouldn't be the same case for the two oryx, thankfully. Eventually they would return to their raucous ways and no amount of badge flashing or scare tactics would change that.

Judy looked around her apartment, scrutinizing every detail. The bed, while adequate, was lumpy and a few springs poked through the material. It also wasn't nearly large enough for her plush collection, she mused. Her closet wasn't even fit to be called that, it was merely a pipe jutting out of the wall with a few hangers for minimal storage. She thought of the public bathrooms and how their lack of privacy was beginning to grate on even Judy's patient nerves. It was a hassle to have to wake up extra early just for a simple singing shower and hot water.

No, eventually her humble surroundings would be too much chaff to handle for the poor bunny. It was almost time for a change of scenery.

Judy moved to her desk arranging her clothes in neat little squares until her eyes lingered to the framed picture of Nick's first day on the job, the picture of her and him smiling jovially at the camera and the future that lie ahead of them as partners. Since they had gotten together Judy had swapped the frame out to match the one that Nick kept on his nightstand at home. It helped remind her of all the good times she spent hanging out with him there, together in warm, cuddly embrace. Sometimes she looked at it and wondered if he was doing the same in that exact moment.

She tapped her chin in thought. Nick had a place, and she spent more time there then she did in her own place. Perhaps it was time that her jokes at moving in were turned to more serious inquiries. He had always said she was always welcome and didn't even need to call before coming over, and they shared a bed most of the time anyways. Yes, moving in with Nick sounded delightful. She would have to bring it up to him in the coming days. He would be ecstatic to hear her finally getting out of her dingy apartment.

Again her thoughts drifted to Nick, but now about how her family might react to her living with a fox. Having him on the farm alone was a big step. Sure her father had personally extended the offer to stay, and her mom seemed just as comfortable with the idea, but that was an offer extended to Judy's fox partner. How might they have reacted to her fox boyfriend?

Judy sighed. Surely her mother would have words with her. Bonnie Hopps was kind of course, but she had a special way of getting under Judy's fur in a way only a mother could. Her father was the wild card. He could either jump for joy or go for the fox taser. The entire harvest was up in the air.

What wasn't uncertain was the amount of fun her and Nick might have. The harvest festival would be in spree and that meant carnival games, socializing, rides, the whole nine yards. And Judy looked forward to spending it all with the fox on her arm.

It was true what they said, Judy thought to herself; 'you think about him all the time when you're in love.' And Nick was probably right that it was going to be a disaster. But just as he had also said, Judy felt the same. 

She wouldn't miss it for the world.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	7. Train Station (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The overall chapter seemed too long so I'm uploading it in two parts. 
> 
> Yay two chapters!

\---

Nick arrived at Zootopia Central Station early in the morning, earlier still than his usual sunshine hours. After packing, Judy had motivated him sufficiently with a text promising of warm breakfast complete with blueberry pancakes and fresh orange juice, but when the sun peeked through the curtains of Nick's apartment he was already wide awake. At least, his mind was. It might take a few days for his body to catch up.

Nick had spent the majority of the night agonizing over the potential permutations of his first impression on Judy's parents, how wrong it could go at any turn. He might try to shake Stu's paw an forget to keep his claws sheathed, or accidentally laugh too hard at a dumb joke enough to startle them with a bark. In all of his years on God's green Earth, Nick Wilde had never been so concerned about his predatory features before. After their phone call though he felt a little relieved. At the very least he would have Judy's strength through all of it, and that was more than enough.

He walked through the rotating doors of the station, a plain navy duffel thrown over his shoulder for luggage. Nick had sent a text message to his bunny lass after he left warning her about his early departure. While she hadn't responded back Nick was looking forward to whatever snarky comment Judy could cook up about his nocturnal habits. 

Even at this hour the station buzzed with attention. Giraffes and koalas waited impatiently for their morning smoothies at the overpriced slurp shops by the doors, lemmings followed their biological imperative to be monotonous and trailed after their pals through the tubes small enough to transport mail at a bank, and the various other animal species bobbed and weaved like ants in a hill. Over all of this chaff the drone of incoming and outgoing train scheduling rang from the intercom at a blistering nonstop pace. It was loud enough to overtake the music blaring from the headphones of Nick's iPawd, turning his looming disposition a modicum more sour.

The fox checked his home printed ticket. His ride didn't leave for another forty or so minutes which was more than enough time for him to grab a bite to eat and save a bench seat for Judy when she arrived. That was, if Nick didn't spontaneously combust from growing inner turmoil first.

Avoiding low inconsiderate elephant tusks and heft swinging hippos, Nick eyed the signs above the terminals long enough to locate his platform. Internally he noted the location and made his way to a Bugga Burger stall on the far side of the station. Despite his rumbling stomach, Nick elected for a simple orange juice to at least get some vitamins in his blood. Judy would kill him if he complained the entire ride to the Burrows about a dry mouth. She loved him so, but her patience for his shenanigans only ran so far, and with the trip promising tense introductions already she didn't need the added stress. But what Nick wouldn't give to see her foot thump and her nose twitch. He loved to see her that way. Cute didn't even begin to describe it.

Nick removed his earbuds long enough to order his drink, and after paying the cashier he absconded from the counter with his juice, looking absently for a more cheer-ridden song.

Mad World. Skip.

Hurt. Next.

Cats in the Cradle. Not today.

Internally, Nick made a note to reevaluate his listening preferences, perhaps even let Judy organize his music library with some of her newer-wave tastes. After all, Gazelle wasn't all that bad. Try everything, right?

Standing at the train station waiting for Judy, Nick again returned to the sensation he hadn't been graced with since before he met his special honey bun: nervousness.

"It's a crazy idea to meet them," he chided himself. "They'll hate me. A crummy old fox stealing their special little girl from them. That's how they'll see it." As the thought crystallized he realized how nonsensical he really sounded. 

He shook his head at himself. It wasn't like he had taken risks before. And even if it was a risk concerning the most important person in his life Nick didn't see why he couldn't look at it from a simpler view.

'They'll accept me, or they won't. It won't change my mind either way. I don't need their approval to date their daughter. Judy accepts me for who I am and that's more than enough for me.'

In all of Nicks years on the street and from the new memories he was making as the ZPDs first fox officer, he had found that things had a way of working themselves out. That wasn't to say that if a situation was left alone it wouldn't devolve into disaster, but that didn't mean he had to agonize over each and every possible outcome. Judy was carefree with most things. She ran a tight ship and was a creature of routine but she approached life with optimism and candor. She wouldn't let the night rain on her parade and certainly wouldn't let her parents rain on her partner. Judy was proud, and strong, and everything that Nick hoped to aspire to to make her happy. If she could teach a fox to care again then he could learn to roll with the punches once more.

Nick wondered what her parents were actually like, without all of the fire and brimstone towards their kits potential mate. Judy had spoke about her parents before but never really about their characters. She spoke at length about the kindhearted nature of Bonnie and Stu Hopps, how even though they worried endlessly over Judy's peculiar pursuits they never stopped supporting her. Judy also mentioned how it wasn't uncommon for her family to hold regular parties and invite the majority of the neighborhood, foxes and all, a testament to their full hearts. Nick had countered that maybe that was only the case that the Hopps' were being polite en masse and never really took the invitation seriously. Judy would simply sigh and shake her head.

But what were they like? What did they enjoy? Did Nick even really want to find out or was he just being polite ahead of time?

Nick shook his head blew the worry out through his pursed lips. Judy was certainly rubbing off on him and he was going soft. Not entirely a bad thing, just unexpected. He made a mental note that he needed to wear his sunglasses more and perhaps even a more egregious tie to counteract the niceties that had taken root in his vulpine brain. He had a reputation to maintain after all. 

If the Hopps parents had signed off on their other numerous children's significant others, coming out as Judy's boyfriend should be no different. 

Judy. Just the thought of her made a surge of cheerful confidence burn in the fox's belly. With her in his life he could do anything. It wouldn't matter if two bunnies disagreed about their relationship, parents or not. Nick knew Judy wouldn't falter and neither should he.

A thought struck Nick at the moment, causing him to pull his iPawd from his pocket and adjust his earbuds. He flicked his thumb through the songs and tapped once he found the tune that he had been reminded of.

He whistled along with the melody, breathing out verses as they came. Eventually, the fox couldn't help but sway to the beat, inevitably graduating to his own form of terrible bouncing some might have even called dancing. Some animals began to leer at the fox dance strutting about the train station, but Nick didn't care. He had learned enough from Judy when it came to judgmental stares.

He jumped on top of a bench and slid to the lamp at the end, spinning once around it.

"...they love me at the Chelsea, they adore me at the Ritz!"

\---

Judy arrived not long after, just in time to see a familiar fox trying to start a musical number. He danced to and fro around mammals of various sizes and species. As she approached him Nick had just finished twirling an otter around sending her giggling off into the crowd, enthralled by his enthusiasm.

Judy chuckled as the fox caught sight of her, his smile growing tenfold as he hopped off the terminal bench.

"Should I be worried that you've had a complete persona shift since we last spoke?"

Nick stowed his headphones. "You know me, Carrots. I'm the first to admit when I'm wrong."

"When have you ever admitted you were wrong?" she asked, crossing her arms with a glaring half smile.

He shrugged. "Never so far, but I have faith I'll get there."

Nick sized her up taking in her change in wardrobe. She had on a short sleeve button up shirt paired with a pair of jean shorts. Nick inched a little closer, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"You look even better in shorts," he said leering at her exposed legs.

Judy blushed and punched at his shoulder. "Stop it, Nick. People are staring."

He gave a soft growl, low enough for only her to hear. "Let them. They don't look at you like I do."

Judy chilled at his tone but managed to gather the strength to push his muzzle away. He looked disappointed until he saw her sympathetic eyes which in turn made his own gaze soften.

"Easy there, tiger. We'll have plenty of time for that after we get home."

She walked past him to the bench, taking a seat to await her train. Judy patted the spot next to her beckoning her fox forth. Nick huffed silently at his rejected advances but took to her side, setting a paw near hers on the synthetic surface.

They sat in relative quiet for a spell both unsure of how they had really reached this moment. Just a few hours ago they had planned on maybe visiting a winter cabin in Tundratown or maybe taking in the sights on a hot air balloon in the Rainforest district. Instead they were about to board a train to a mostly prey settlement and Nick was going to meet the love of his life's parents. He couldn't help if he felt a tad intimidated. Judy herself was beginning to feel a sense of urgency feel it's way in between her mind and her heart making her foot tap nervously.

Nick caught on and looked up at her.

"You uh, feeling it too?"

Judy inched a finger to his paw and his nervous smile cracked a little. She shrugged with a slightly bashful smile.

"Is it that obvious? Yeah I'm a little nervous."

"You know, far be it from me to solve problems after they've already occurred, but we could have circumvented this entire situation if you had introduced us at the concert not too long ago."

Judy flashes back to the Gazelle concert after the Night Howler case. Nearly everyone she had met in her time in the city had been invited. Her parents had chose to tag along after their daughter had without explanation taken the family pickup and zoomed off to save the day. In the day that followed Judy had given them a quick tour of everywhere that meant something to her in her short stay and they had ended the night at the concert. Halfway through Judy had left her parents to their own devices to spend the remainder of her time with her friend the pawpsicle hustling fox that had almost singlehandedly saved her career, and when the show was over Judy had barely realized that she ditched her parents.

She had cursed herself for losing track of time and left abruptly soon after with only a quick hug to remind the fox that she had been there at all.

Judy averted her gaze to the side and her ears flopped down.

"I know," she said quietly trying to hide her blush.

"Why didn't you?"

She sighed wistfully and thought back to that night again. It was a momentous occasion and a celebration of her journey. She had been so excited that not only had she kept her dream job, and solved the biggest case in the city, Judy had kept her best friend and he had deigned to actively spend time with the dumb bunny even after betraying his trust like she did. She hadn't expected him to forgive her so easily, but maybe that was the inkling of their relationship showing hints even back then, and Judy wondered if that was why the night felt so magical in the first place.

"It's dumb," she said shrinking her form with a burgeoning blush.

Nick grinned into a hearty chuckle.

"Come on, Carrots. You can tell me. I won't laugh."

She sighed through her smile. Her paws curled into her lap and she kicked her feet absently. Seeing Judy in such a bashful state was one of Nicks favorite parts of being with her, and not just as her boyfriend. Whenever she was shy not only did she usually say the sweetest things, she also turned to an adorable shade of red and he wanted to scoop her up and and pepper her with sweet kisses. Just thinking about it made his heart skip a beat.

"Well," she started with a sheepish smile, "I guess it's because I still wasn't sure if you had really forgiven me. And...I wanted to spend as much time with you as I possibly could before it all fell apart again. My parents didn't even seem to factor in."

Nicks eyes softened at the beautiful bunny and he let the trailing touch on her paw be enveloped in his fingers around it. She looked down at their paws with a smile and back up to see Nick smiling back at her.

"Aww, you dumb bunny. I wasn't going to leave you then. I was just as happy to have my friend back, maybe even more if she covered another jumbo pop for me."

Judy's foot had stopped tapping and Nick squeezed thoughtfully at her paw.

"I guess it's pretty easy to see why we haven't covered this stage of our relationship already. I know it's pretty easy to get lost in my dreamy eyes."

He looked skyward and then back to the bunny with mischief in his smile.

"I'm going to hug you."

"Nick, no."

"Come here."

"I'm not going over there."

"Fine, I'll come to you."

The fox closed the gap between them and his arms wrapped the bunny in a strong grasp, and to add insult to injury he snuggled his head into the spot between her ears and released a cheerful hum. Judy stiffened with embarrassment.

"Aghh, Niiiick. There's people watching. Let go."

"No," was his curt reply. "My bun."

After a second of resistance Judy relented and warmed up into his arms, hugging back with slightly less enthusiasm.

Nick breathed in her scent and pecked her between her ears.

"Love youuuu."

She nuzzled back into him and sighed.

"Love you, too."

He released his grasp on her, leaving Judy in a daze from his touch. When she faded back to the world to see the charming leer of Nick, Judy rolled her eyes but her smile stayed present. It was easy to forget where she was sometimes when she was with the fox. Time just seemed to cruise on by in his presence and Judy knew he felt the same. It was why they wanted to spend most days together even after they had spent the entire day side by side at work. It just felt right to be near him.

Nick blew out a breath as he looked off into the crowd.

"Going to be real interesting trying to sneak kisses with your family around," he mused aloud.

Judy nudged into his side with her smile having reserved on her lips. She quirked a shoulder at his subtle inquiry.

"I wouldn't put too much stock into surprise kisses. Bunnies have excellent hearing you know." She sighed to herself. "Besides, everyone's likely to be gossiping up a storm about the new fox they'll be messing with."

Nick's ear perked with curiosity. He turned back to her.

"New fox? There's an old model about the farm these days?"

Judy chuckled lightly. "Jealous are you?" she ribbed. "Don't worry, it's nothing like that. Though..." She rubbed at her arm in thought. Nick knew her mannerisms well enough to recognize a nervous tick.

"So, you remember how I told you about when I was just a kit, what happened with Gideon Grey?"

Nick gave a reflexive frown. He could never forget a story like that. A young fox lashing out with physical violence at Judy, his Judy. Of course she had given her own fair kick to the jaw but still the thought of another fox hurting her held a special mixture of resentment and guilt in Nick's heart.

He nodded and Judy continued.

"Mind you its water under the bridge. Long since forgiven. And Gideon's turned his life around quite nicely I dare say. He opened a bakery in town and partners with my parents for produce for his pies."

"It's just that, he might be around. And I don't want you to feel like he wronged me in any way, Nick." She inched her paw over his on the bench.

He looked down at her paw in thought. Sometimes Nick would stroke back the fur on her cheek and see the faded residual of a scar in their most private moments. It hurt him to think of someone getting one over on Judy, especially a fox. But he knew she was past it, even if it had planted the seed of her doubt in predators for a good portion of her life. On the inverse though, he had to be in a very minute sense grateful. If not for Gideon, Judy might never have followed Nick into that ice cream shop, and he might never have met the love of his life. It was a stretch for sure, but not entirely dishonest.

Nick upturned his paw over hers and squeezed again filling her with love.

"You're the boss, Carrots," he said smiling with half lidded eyes. "I won't go off the reservation. Promise."

She returned the favor, squeezing back and sliding a bit closer to steal a quick nuzzle against his shoulder.

"I'll hold you to that, my sweet cinnamon roll."

Nick whistled with a wince. "Let's leave the nicknames to me shall we? Speaking of which, did you eat?"

On cue Judy's stomach growled loud enough for Nick to contemplate falling backwards from the volume alone. She looked up with a sheepish smile. 

"It looks like I've been found out. No, I came straight here. Not even time to grab a drink."

The fox rose to his feet, reluctantly relinquishing his tender hold on her.

"Then as your humble knight I shall fetch you a beverage, fair maiden." He gave a low bow with his foot forward and his paw cresting upwards at his side.

She giggled. "Rise Sir knight, and go forthwith my blessing."

He rose with a chuckle and started off, turning back with a point.

"Watch my luggage will you?"

"If you're late for the train I swear I'll make you pay for it!" she called after him.

\---


	8. Train Station (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's the second one. It is shorter.

\---

Nick would much rather have asked for a raise from Bogo than sit another minute in the line. It seemed every mammal that stepped up to the counter needed to ponder the theory of relativity when it came to choosing a drink, and all Nick needed was a simple carrot smoothie. Currently he stood behind a hippo who couldn't decide between a eucalyptus juice or a tropical fruit blend. He ho-hummed over and over until finally Nick couldn't take it anymore.

With as much restraint he could muster he tapped the hippos knee drawing his attention.

"Hey buddy, how about getting drink so the rest of us can get on with our lives?" It wasn't the most tactful or polite remark to make to someone that delayed your time table, but some times a stern paw was needed. "Some of us have places to be," he added.

The hippos gaze intensified to a glare and he pointed a stubby finger down at the fox.

"I'll take as long as I want here, I'm a paying customer. You'll just have to wait your turn." He returned to his pondering at the cashier, a beaver that seemed to be in about as much agony as Nick at the moment. 

She leaned over looking past the hippo up front and at Nick before turning back to the hippo.

"Sir I'm afraid he's right, you are holding up the line. Please place an order or I'll have to move past you."

The hippo gritted his jaw at the supposed affront on his person, looking between Nock and the beaver.

"Oh so now you're gonna listen to the shifty fox? I am a citizen of Zootopia, I have a right to a drink!"

Nick crossed his arms, pointing a finger up at the tubby faced miscreant with a raised brow.

"That's Officer Shifty Fox to you. Now I do believe the young lady gave you a choice. Order or step along, dumb dumb."

"Oh an 'officer' is it?" He air quoted around the word, his patience seeming to wear thin at the walls closing in around him. "You gonna arrest me for taking my time in a food joint, huh? Pig."

"Hey!" a pig from farther back piped up.

Nick shook his head and rubbed his temple muttering to himself.

"With the way that things are going I might have to." He looked up at one of the large clocks hanging from chains around the station and his eyes widened. His train was minutes away from departing.

He clapped his paws and rubbed them together.

"On second thought," he rushed past grabbing a bottled carrot water and slapped a twenty dollar note on the counter. "This has been fun but I really have more important things to do," he said as he passed the hippo, a vindictive glower still evident in the taller mammal. He looked back to the cashier as he crossed the door.

"Keep the change." Nick saluted and vanished into the crowds at a brisk pace.

Finally free of the annoying presence in the room the hippo resumed his order.

"Prick." He turned back to the cashier who was just about fed up with the irate customers antics. "The fruit blend then. Hurry up!"

The beaver prepared and presented his drink. He snatched it from her paw and paid with exact change before turning to leave. And with a step regular for one of his size he pulled forward and his leg caught, tumbling him flat on his face. The pink slurry flew directly upwards and splashed across him in a cold shower of sticky slush causing most of the patrons privy to the previous exchange to burst laughing.

The beaver, after finishing her own stifled snickering, leaned over the counter to see the hippos ankle zip-tied to one of the shelves for prepackaged items.

She looked out the door with a gleam in her eye, satisfied that the day hadn't been as boring as the others she'd worked previously.

"Sly fox."

\---

While Judy waited for Nick the train had arrived at the station. She was stood by the door, suitcase at her side and Nick's duffel slung over her small frame waiting for the fox to return, but there was no sign of him. The platform was crowding with a rush of new animals making their way to the next ride and in the confusion Judy had to force her way onto the train to reserve seats. It was the weekend after all, and they made plans, why shouldn't everyone else?

It was after a pause period that Judy realized how late it was actually getting. The train was almost fully crowded now, and upon checking her phones clock the anxiousness of Nick's absence started to creep in.

Judy stood there thumping her foot.

"Where the heck is he?" she whispered to herself. Standing by the door she could see everyone come and go except for the orange blur that was actually needed. Had he been held up? Last time he disappeared he had been shanghaied by his old "coworkers" and that situation had turned out so well, she mused begrudgingly.

It was at the witching hour that she finally caught a glimpse of her brightly clothed fox diving in and around the crowd, trying his darnedest to get to the doors of the train. Just then a loud "ding" rang from the train intercom and the doors slid shut with a hydraulic hiss. Judy spun towards the sound with a lenient curse to herself.

Nick could see the doors close just as Judy turned around to spot the fox with a confused glare. The realization of the situation was made apparent fast and the rabbit soon rushed to the doors, flattening her paws against the glass. Nick managed to get to the door, ears flattened at her muffled calls through the metal and rubber.

"Last time I checked," she yelled pointing to the air at her side, "you're supposed to be in here!"

Nick gave a strained chuckle, his own paws pressed to hers through the glass.

"You know me, sweetheart. Gotta make things difficult."

Judy backed up, her eyes darting around the situation trying desperately to salvage a solution.

"Okay think! Maybe I can find the conductor and we can-"

The train started forward with a jolt shaking them both from where they were planted. Nick looked past her still with his toothy nervousness and Judy narrowed her eyes with worried wince.

"Um..." she said.

"I can fix this!" Nick said, pointing over his head. With no better ideas he began to jog along the trains side.

Judy thumped the glass with her paw catching his attention.

"Don't do anything stupid! Just catch the next train!"

The intercom binged again. "Last shuttle to Bunny Burrow departing now."

"Aw come on!" she yelled at the electronic box.

Outside Nick was picking up speed but not enough to keep up with the train, and he was quickly running out of floor. Judy followed along on her side running down the inner cabin but she read the situation. She called out to Nick but he couldn't hear her over the screech of wheels and the crowd.

The train eked out of range of the platform and Nick in a moment of pure brilliance, summoned his strength for one great push away from the floor at the tail of the train. 

And he missed it by a county mile.

Nick landed with a thump on the gravel pathway between the rails, narrowly swinging his tail out from over the electrified girders.

In the back window Judy was glued to the glass, her eyes wide with a terrible sadness and a silent yell as the distance widened between her and her fox.

Nick stared to the horizon watching the train grow smaller and smaller until it was eclipsed by the silhouette of his outstretched paw. He grabbed at its image as it passed and he let his paw fall to the ground with a crunch underneath it.

"Well, crap."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We will square this circle! Mark my words! :D


	9. Poor Judy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: I forgot the first half of this chapter when I originally uploaded it so I an end fixed that in post. The entire chapter is now up. Oops:/

\---

The ride to Bunny Burrow alone was not a journey Judy had expected when she awoke that morning. After seeing Nick leap and tumble in a spectacular failure Judy was overcome with both upset and relief. On one paw Nick hadn't tripped and fallen beneath the rails very much like an idiot leaping onto a moving train might have. On the other though, some part of her had wished he had succeeded at his attempt. The fantasy of his swashbuckling action was not lost on her and, while entertaining, it wasn't enough for her to not want to scream at the fox.

Judy saw Nick tumble into the gravel and she pounded her fist on the glass as the turmoil of emotion swept through her. The other mammals around her leered with curious glances at the spectacle of what had transpired, a slight reprieve from their monotonous routines. A bunny wanting a fox to chase her was certainly worthy of spectacle to the uninitiated.

She gritted her teeth and immediately reached into her pocket for her phone, dialing up Nick's number as fast her fingers could dance across the screen. It rang once before the speaker on her ear beeped thrice indicating the loss of signal. Judy squeezed the device in her paw and stared angrily at the picture ID of her fox smiling smugly up at her. Of course only Nick could make her feel like this, livid and concerned, upset and perturbed. She only hoped that the fall hadn't rattled his brain too much, because when she got a hold of him she was certainly going to give him a thrashing for making her feel so on edge.

With nothing else to do Judy grabbed her and Nick's luggage and wheeled herself to the observation deck up the stairs. No one else occupied the glass bubble atop the car allowing her at least the courtesy of a private space to sulk. alleviating at least a fraction of Judy's stress.

The rabbit slid her suitcase to a stop against the wall beneath the window and plopped the duffel right next to it, sitting herself atop the baggage with her gaze fixed longingly at the rapidly shrinking city.

Judy had hoped to share this vision of Zootopia with Nick. She hoped to exchange her thoughts with him on how the glass of the towers glistened in the first light of day, and to not only tell him of her first viewing and the excitement that churned in her belly, but also of the comfort that she had found in that concrete jungle. She wanted to sit here and hold his paw to repay some of the kindness he had shown her in his willingness to take attend this trip with her, perhaps even steal a kiss if they were left alone like she was now. But with the distance between them growing with each passing second, Judy felt like she was leaving a part of her very soul in the city of progress, and with it came the familiar dread of uncertainty.

Judy was almost certain she would be able to face her parents faces openly about her relationship if the fox was there. Almost certain that she could tell them and take it in stride. Without him though, she was feeling vulnerable. It was unusual for her to feel that at all, strange as it might have seemed. Judy was a rabbit police officer, the first of her ilk to join such a line of work. Fear was to be expected to be part of the territory. But all her life Judy was fearless. She never let it get to her whether through seeing the satisfaction of seeing the faces of those that doubted her, or allegiance to her personal code of perseverance. Judy was unafraid.

That night in the apartment, when she took that fateful step toward Nick and their lips met for the first time, it was the first instance Judy had been truly afraid. Afraid of rejection, embarrassment, that she could be wrong. But she wasn't wrong, and now seemed like the barriers had been dropped. Nick had introduced the idea of fallibility in full force to the bunny, and it was something that was taking some getting used to. Not to her work, but to him. She had never wanted to let him feel down like she had before. Nick didn't deserve that. He meant so much to her that she would push whatever obstacles large or small for her lover. And it was exciting to be in love with him. No day was boring when they were together. No day ended with a lonesome sigh. They could face it all, happily together.

The train passed behind some hills and the final gleam of the glass obelisks was swallowed up from view, and with it Judy's heart sank to the final rungs on the ladder. Again, she tried to call her partner. Agains she was met with silence. Judy drew her body inwards as the worry ate at her. When she made it to the Burrows she would try for a landline. That was sure to get a connection to the city and then she and Nick could discuss their next move. It was the only semblance of structure that gave her a sampling of peace.

"He's okay," she told herself. "He's alright. It's just the patchy signal." Judy knew she wouldn't believe it until she heard from him again, till she was sure that he was safe.

The holiday would certainly move a lot slower without the music of Nick's voice in her ears.

\---

The train pulled into Bunny Burrow station with a slow hiss. The day had almost finished its last rays of light over the hills with the sun turning from a vibrant yellow to a muted orange. The air had stilled with no breeze to speak of and the ambiguity of it all did little if anything to influence any change in Judy's sour outlook of the day.

As the doors slid open with a mechanical click they revealed the violet eyed bunny standing with luggage at her side and the oversized duffel slung over her shoulder like it was a small plush. Judy had graduated from staggering worry to peerless anger over the course of the trip. She had spent the duration staring out to the passing countryside in the bubble window of the observation deck with palpable fury hanging in the air. None had dared to disturb her isolation and those who did were surprised at the maddened glare that such a small creature could wield with such ferocity.

Judy adjusted the bag against her back as if it was weightless in her paw. Anger was an excellent motivational coach when exerting and the academy had trained her to handle more on her shoulders than a sack full of garish shirts and khakis. Absently, Judy hoped that Nick had packed the majority of his favorite shirts and was missing them greatly; a minor punishment for his reckless stunt earlier in the day. 

Judy sighed before stepping off the train onto the familiar platform where she had been sent off not too long ago with her whole life ahead of her and so much hope in her eyes. Now it seemed a distant memory that could barely elicit a butterfly of excitement in her belly with the recent circumstances that had cemented themselves around her being.

"Well crap."

Officer Hopps looked up and down the tracks she had arrived from and frowned. Nick was supposed to be here with her, help make the trip an experience that would draw the both of them closer. Meanwhile, he was probably stuck at home agonizing over missing the train, that is, if he hadn't broken his snout in his almost biblical fall from grace. A lot of folks in the Burrows might call a fox "the devil on your shoulder," with their silver tongues and roguish glares. But with the thought of Nick lying there broke, Judy only felt a cold disappointment at her thoughts. She was angry, it was to be expected, but she could never truly be vindictive against him.

Judy knew he hadn't meant to miss the train. Nick had been more than willing to follow her to her childhood home and cajole her parents in hopes that they would approve of their relationship, a trip he had been unintentionally roped into with practically no input of his own. Truly he was ready to give everything he had to make Judy happy.

But Nick wasn't here. And the day was a darker for it. Her parents would just have to wait to be privy to the newest, perhaps best part of her life.

While the station was never known for being crowded even during this part of the year, now it seemed downright barren. Judy took notice that she was the only one to disembark from the transport. This served only to heighten the suffocating sense of isolation she felt entwining around her.

Judy was pulled from her thoughts when a loud voice cut through the silence.

"Get a move on!" the voice said with a sing song manner about it. "Wouldn't want to keep the family waiting!"

Judys ears flicked towards the sound past the ticket booth. Walking up the stairs were two female bunnies, one a head taller than Judy and with fur a shade lighter and a little dark around her eyes dressed in slim overalls, and the other sandy furred in a hoodie and with what seemed to be perpetual boredom dulling her eyes. Juniper and Jade, two of Judy's closest siblings during her formative years.

"Juju! Jade!" Judy forced a stretched smile and quickly set aside her luggage with arms open wide. 

Juniper rushed forward and closed the space between them with the hug, lifting Judy up off the ground in a fervent happiness.

"Missed you, you big weirdo." She set down her little sister and pulled back with arms still resting on hers. "How come you don't visit?"

Judy shrugged her paws and smiled smugly at her kin.

"Oh you know how it is. Out there in the world trying to make a difference." She looked to her side to see Jade standing paws in pocket with a slight smile threatening her features. "Oh come here you," she waved her over.

Jade's muffled smile broke through and she joined the kerfuffle squeezing both of her sisters in her arms.

"Missed you, Squirt," she said in a soft voice.

"I bet you did," was Judy's reply.

When the pair of bunnies were sufficiently satisfied with hugging the life out of their big shot sister, Jade pulled back and returned to her bored stance with her thumbs looped through her belt and Juniper crossed her arms, ready to pick Judy's brain on all of her adventures in the big city.

"Been too long," she started, cocking her head back to the stairs where presumably the family pickup awaited. Judy recognized the gesture and began to return to her luggage while June threw out a lighthearted taunt.

"Too good to hoof it out in the country anymore, Judy?"

Judy shouldered the duffel and followed them down, tugging her suitcase behind her.

"Oh hush. I've only been gone a couple months," she said referring to her brief sabbatical from the ZPD during the Nighthowler incident.

Her older sister gave a deep guffaw, elbowing at Jade for backup.

"A couple months she says!" She turned back to Judy, shaking her head smugly. "It's been the better half of a year, and last time you were here it was only for a couple days and you had that cloud hangin' over your head for most of it. Even Jade here has a sunnier disposition, ain't that right Jade?"

"S'true."

"Right," she nodded in affirmation. "So spill. What's new with you?"

Judy shrugged, adjusting the strap on her shoulder. "Well..."

What could she say? The most recent stamp in the book of Judy's life had been falling in love with a charming, perfect fox, and that was obviously out of the question no matter how much she would like to sing the praises of their being together. Rather than drop that bombshell Judy elected to take the more subtle route forward.

"Well I was shot. That happened," she said as if it was an everyday occurrence.

It took a few steps before Judy realized that her sisters were no longer at her side. She stopped and looked back to see Jade with slightly raised brows and Juniper wide eyed like she discovered someone had read through her diary, and then promptly posted it on every social media platform imaginable.

"You were what?!" she bellowed throwing her arms overhead.

Judy pursed her lips and prepared for the worst.

'Right. Subtle,' she thought.

Judy could barely utter a proper placation before she was rushed and wrapped in the arms of her older sister. She yelled a cacophony of inquiries, "when did this happen," "how bad was it," "how could you not tell me." All while shaking her about in a crushing embrace, feet dangling off the ground.

"Sis.... I'm fine now....really..." she was able to utter in between gasps.

"Fine!? You were shot! Do mom and dad know about this!?"

From behind them Jade piped up, still keeping a passive expression through all of this.

"June, she said she's fine."

Juniper ceased her throttling, allowing to Judy spill on the floor in a pile of luggage and gray fluff.

"Again, fine!?" June said, turning to the middle child of the three. "You could stand to look a little more concerned!"

Judy lifted her head from the ground. "She is right on that account." She picked herself off the ground and dusted herself off. "Yes, mom and dad knew. And they took it leagues better than you did."

Jade rolled her eyes and continued to the truck, choosing to assist with the luggage by picking up the duffel bag. Judy fell in behind her before Juniper gave another incredulous "Gah!" and following suit. They made it to the truck with no further hiccups and Judy tossed the suitcase into the bed. Jade hesitated, eyeing the bag curiously.

"Who's bag is this?"

Judy looked to her before her mind caught up and she palmed her face.

"Cheese and-- Right! Nick!" She pulled out her phone and began scrolling through her contact list. The other sisters just looked at each other and shrugged.

"Nick?" June posited, opening the driver side door. "Isn't that your partner in the city?"

Judy had turned away with the phone one paw listening for a dial tone and tugged at her ears with the other paw.

"Yes! Mom and dad invited him down for the festival but we got separated at the train." 

The phone rang several times before going to his voicemail.

"Hi! You've reached the life-model decoy of Nick Wilde. Do leave a message and I'll try to let Nick know you called. Ciao!"

While his voice was a welcome progression from a blank dial tone and it did give her a sense of hope, his lack of an answering left Judy right back where she had started: on a trip meant for the two of them without Nick. Judy clapped her paws to her forehead with a grim scowl.

"Darn it, Nick." She began passing up the side of the truck and started weathering a groove in the gravel of the parking lot. "Darn it, darn it, darn it..." 

June turned to Jade who stood indifferent to her sisters bubbling concern towards her partner. Jade returned the searching look to which June shrugged. She stopped Judy with a paw on her shoulder, hoping to convey some form of sibling compassion in an attempt to calm her sister.

"You know, the signals a bit dodgy out here in town. Even in this day and age wifi is almost a dirty word 'round here." She slid her paw behind Judy and nudged her to the passenger door. "We'll get on home and we can see about calling from the landline. You know how Pop still uses it for some of the curmudgeonly folks he deals with."

Judy wrinkled her nose. It wasn't like Nick to not answer his phone, especially when it was her calling. He answered at all times of day: morning to confirm plans, evening to invite her over, and he especially loved their late night chats when they weren't spending the night together. For him to miss any of them was disconcerting to say the least.

She sighed and met her sisters eyes, not bothering to hide the crushing concern there.

"It looks like I don't have much of a choice." She wilted. "I was really looking forward to you guys meeting him."

June smiled, rubbing off a little sunshine on Judy's disposition.

"There'll be plenty of opportunities for us to meet your fox friend, Jude. Besides, I'm sure your buddy's capable enough handle himself out in the big, scary city." June opened the door and waved her in. "Now c'mon, families waiting."

Judy climbed into the pickup and sat in the middle seat with Jade sliding in after her. Juniper cozied in behind the wheel and turned the key setting the engine to life with a haggard grumble from the old pickup.

As they spun out of the lot onto the road leading home Judy couldn't help but stay the dull ache of worry in her chest. She was sure Nick did the same for her so it only seemed fair.

'Where are you dumb fox?'

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little bit of angst and some new characters! What's not to love? Do some words in the comments. I like the words.


	10. Why Should I Worry?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to start off by saying yesterday when I uploaded chapter 9: Poor Judy, I forgot the first half. Dumb Miles. So! If you would like to go back and read the updated version it's up and ready. It's a little more angst (like I do) so there's that but I feel it help set up for the reaction in this chapter. Please do read it for context.
> 
> With that out of the way, let's crack on:)

\---

The ride home was fraught with probing into Judy's less "action packed" life as June liked to put it: Judy's living situation, work at the office and coworkers, favorite hangouts around the city and the like. Judy was happy for the distraction and in turn regaled them with the lavish trappings of police work talking for far too long about the desk work, happily chirping on the way Clawhauser always seemed to discover new sweets each morning, and of course the parking duty. Oh how she went on about parking duty.

After hearing about the sixth time Judy broke her daily writing records for tickets Juniper nearly drove off the road in boredom before digging for something a little juicer.

"So," she raised a brow, her tone turning the twang in her voice a tinge more mischievous. "Are you seeing anyone...special?"

Inevitability was a fickle beast. Of course it would be June to ask these sort of questions. Jade was always the more calm and agreeable of the trio, willing to cut out all chaff and speak her mind, that is, when she actually spoke. It was a trait her police officer sister held in high regard. But June was the big sister and she took her title seriously.

Judy was no stranger to her sister's intimate stories of the bucks from the tail end of high school or the years that followed. She was never crass, nor vulgar but that didn't stop a young Judy from learning to keep those thoughts mainly to herself.

The amethyst eyed bunny was always more quiet in that respect. Judy's love life was hardly fit to be called that, and up until recently she wouldn't have even thought of the terminology alone. Nick had been the most significant partner if not only one she had ever shared a bed space with, but she didn't want to tell June that. Pride was always a factor with Juju.

Judy preferred not to lie. Busting out even the tiniest of fibs was never her style, but when she felt it necessary Judy had enough acting chops to brush off any intrusive question and it should have been child's play.

It should have been. 

"Bwah- Ju- No....!" was her expertly crafted reply.

June drummed her thumbs on the steering wheel in a victory beat.

"Ha! I knew it. Come on, who's the lucky bunny?"

Judy looked back to Jade for support but even she had a shade of curiosity about her. She couldn't just come out and say that she was with Nick, not without knowing how her sisters would react. She had hoped to at least tell her parents if anyone but that plan was on the back burner with Nick stuck at home. Judy would try her best to deflect as she could.

"He's not-- I mean, there's no one seriously." She caught the words too late and her sisters grin grew wider as she chipped away at Judy's defenses.

"So there is a he! Tell us about him. Is he handsome? Please tell me my little sisters landed a looker."

Judy groaned and leaned her head back on the seat. She didn't need to tell them the whole truth, just enough to satisfy the curiosity nipping at her heels. She didn't need to say he was a fox, let alone her partner on the force. And heck, maybe she could have some fun with this story.

She leaned forward again, fiddling with her paws.

"Okay, there is someone I'm seeing. And yes, he's very handsome."

June bit back the excitement of gossip with anticipation, still keeping her pale blue eyes narrowed on the dirt road.

"Does he have some wicked ear stripes? It would be perfect for you to go after a bad boy like that," she teased.

Judy smiled picturing Nick's ears. The soft, inner cream colored fur she enjoyed to tease with her blunted claws, the tapering darkness at the tips; it wasn't exactly a lie to talk about the ears.

"Oh yeah," she sang crossing her arms. "And he is a bit of a charmer I will admit."

Juniper was far from finished digging. "Tall?"

"I'll say. Taller than most rabbits to be honest."

They slowed to an intersection and June posed another question as she checked the traffic. 

"Does he...take care of you?" she said, posturing with a quirky dance of her shoulders.

"June!" Judy grimaced, albeit with an embarrassed smile.

"What? I'm only curious. Most of us thought you were a bit strange. You know, thinking you were not into that stuff."

Judy was remiss to talk about her and Nick being intimate, but a blush did spread on her cheeks. Yes he took care of her, in more ways than one to be sure. But that was for her and him to enjoy. She wasn't touching that bonfire with a ten foot pole. Though she could stand to tease her sisters for broaching the subject.

"He takes care of me." She giggled. "Very, very well," she added with a dramatic paw fanning her face.

Juniper gave a playful shove to her sister and spun the wheel into the turn.

"Ooh you're bad!" Her expression softened though she kept a quirk on the edge of her smirk. "I hope you'll bring him down to the farm one day. I'm sure we'd all love to meet him."

Judy kicked her footpaws lazily at the air beneath her. 'If only they knew,' she thought.

"Sooner rather than later," she murmured.

June's ear quirked. "What's that?"

Judy shook her head and straightened her ears back.

"Nothing, just thinking out loud I guess. We there yet? You drive like a snail."

"Can't be breaking a speed limit with a cop in the car. She's liable to ticket me." She lifted a finger and pointed. "Here we are. Home sweet home."

As they sped over the upcoming hill the Hopps burrow rose into view. It looked much like Judy remembered it: a large farmhouse built into the side of a looming hill, round rabbit-shaped front facing out, and towering several stories above the ground to accommodate for the multitude of bunnies that inhabited the housing. The color fading in some areas, the pink and yellow paint chipping from the elements of the countryside, but it kept the familiar air of home, and Judy could feel the familiarity well in her as they approached.

If only Nick were here to see it with her.

They pulled up to the front with June shifting the truck into park before disembarking. The trio hopped out with Judy gawking longingly at her childhood home. She felt a pang of sadness ghost through her as she looked at that ridiculous rabbit motif on the front wall. Nick would undoubtedly make a crack at its design, perhaps a joke on how egotistical rabbits were and how that should more than make up for his self indulgent ways. She smiled at the pretend joke and she missed him all the more for it.

Judy reached into her pocket, again pulling up Nick's number, his smug smile hovering above the digits. She tapped once and waited for the dial tone to begin and once again end without an answer. And then she heard something peculiar.

"One minute I'm in Central Park. Then I'm down on Delancy street."

Judy's ears perk and she froze to the tune that seemed to echo over the hills themselves. That was Nick's ringer. His music was as unmistakable as his shirts with the way he sang that song around the apartment, the precinct, wherever when he tried not to worry in his head.

June must have heard it too because she spun around and narrowed her eyes in curiosity at the road.

The tune continued, and she pointed back to the road.

"What in the heck is that?"

There, strutting in front of the setting sun was a tall, lanky fox with progressively darker ears and emerald colored eyes. His bright green shirt sagged with wear and his face was stretched in a stupidly triumphant grin, and in his paw a cellphone shone brightly and played out the remainder of the tune.

"I'm streetwise. I can improvise."

Judy stood dumbfounded at the sight before her. He was closing the gap step by step, and with each passing second Judy's disbelief shrank instead being replaced by an incomparable joyousness.

June came to stand behind Judy who was busy clutching her paws to her chest in a barley contained frenzy.

"Who's tha-"

"Nick!" Judy shouted and sped off with breakneck speed to meet him.

She ran so fast that she kicked up a trail of dust on the distance to him. The closer she got the faster she could see his expression turn from smug expectation to fearful caution just as she caught Nick in a tackle worthy of knocking Bogo off his feet.

Nick flew back and slid to a stop in the gravel clutching the rabbit to his chest. Judy nuzzled into his embrace, reciting his name again as if she didn't he might evaporate into thin air.

"Nick."

The fox groaned, arching his back from the tumble, but lifted a paw to pat at her back in concession.

"Hey Carrots."

She was caught in the moment laying on the ground with her arms wrapped around him. She didn't care if her attempts at subterfuge towards her sisters were lost with her abrupt reaction, she just wanted to hold onto her fox and not let him go. She lifted her head off him long enough to meet his eyes. The relief in her eyes was quickly replaced with an angry glare.

"Where the heck have you been? What in the heck happened? How in the heck--"

Nick tapped a finger to her nose silencing her tirade of hecks.

"Calm down a second and let me breathe." He sat up and adjusted the bunny in his lap. "I think you might have re-cracked some of my ribs. I'm fragile you know," he joked.

Judy stood off of him and balled her fists on her hips. She leaned over him.

"When I'm through with you, you'll be lucky if that's all that's broken!" 

Nick struggled to his feet and dusted himself off. Judy crossed her arms and turned away from him. Nick sighed. She had every right to be mad at him. He cautiously laid a paw on her shoulder to spin her to face him. She frowned at him, avoiding his eyes with a spark of anger still present in her own.

"I know what I did was stupid, and I should have just waited for another train. I was in the moment and I'm sorry." He bowed his head in shame and stuck his paws in his pockets. "But," he pulled a paw and held out a bottle of carrot water, "I did manage to get your drink for you."

She looked at the bottle then back to him. He tried his best to pull a sheepish smile from his reserves for her. Judy shook her head.

"You dumb fox." She rushed into a hug for him.

Nick held his arms out in surprise before easing himself into a secure hug against her.

"So, I'm not in trouble?"

She shook her head against him. "You're still in trouble. But I'm glad you're here."

She could never be mad at him when he made gestures like that. Sappy, humor filled, amourous gestures that filled her with love.

"Ahem."

Judy and Nick both turned to see the lingering forms of Juniper and Jade standing awkwardly amidst the touchy-feels of Nick's arrival. June gestured a wave in their direction.

"Who's your friend?"

Judy pulled back from the fox, an embarrassed blush forming on her cheeks and rushing to her ears. She crossed her arms behind her and sputtered out a reply. Nick stood coolly throughout all of this, smirking at his flustered partner.

"Oh, right. Um, this is my....partner, Nick." She waved from him to her sisters. "Nick these are my sisters, Juniper and Jade."

They shook paws. "Please, June."

"Okay June." Nick smiled and turned to Jade, paw outstretched. She looked at it with a smile and nodded.

June chirped in. "Oh Jade is a little gun shy. Don't take it personally, she's that way with everyone new."

Nick retracted his paw. "A wise policy, one that I can respect. Nice to meet you both. Judy's talked a lot about you."

"Has she really?" June looked excitedly.

"Not a peep."

"Oh," she faltered before painting another smile back on her face. "You're a joker, then? Shame Judy hasn't told us more about you."

"Hasn't she?" He aimed a smile at Judy and she shot back a warning glare conveying the punishment he might influence in their private time away from prying eyes. "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

June grabbed Judy's bags from the truck bed and threw a grin over her shoulder. "Judy was just telling us about her mystery boyfriend."

Nick raised a brow in interest, his sly smirk growing wider.

"Boyfriend huh? Anyone I know, Carr--" 

He was cut off by a stinging pain in his tail and looked down immediately to find Judy's foot planted firmly over it. He stifled his yelp with his knuckles over his mouth and Judy tilted her head in knowing satisfaction. 

"How did you even get here? You don't have a car," she said, lifting her foot off Nick's tail not looking the least bit concerned.

His tail instantly curled into his paws and fell limp like a sad noodle. Nick gritted his teeth with a glare in her direction but it softened just as quick. Jade snickered having bared witness to the domineering action.

"Well..." Nick started, rubbing his tail and dropping it, and began to regale them with the story of his journey. He waved his arms across the landscape. "The wind was heavy against the sky vessel, and Captain Shakespeare had just pulled me from the brine when suddenly--"

"Nick I've seen that movie," Judy said flatly.

"Oh," he replied, reaching back into his pocket. "Well then I palmed your wallet off you and charted a bus? You'd be surprised at how hard it is to rent a car with no credit."

"You thieving fox!" Judy snatched the wallet from his paw with a look of pretend anger. She wasn't sure how accurate the bus statement was but she didn't care. There would be time for that later.

No one else caught the underhanded compliment, but Nick did and it gave him a slight warmth to his tone.

"I didn't spend any of the cash, though I should have. Bus rides to the bumpkins are not cheap." He lifted a brow. "You keep your old address in your wallet?" he asked almost mockingly.

"It's for emergencies!" she chided. "You're not gonna tell me are you?"

Nick shook his head in gleeful thought, keeping things from her to entertain himself, as usual.

"You're a smart bunny. I'm sure you can figure it out. He finished the sentence with a poke to her nose causing it to twitch. He turned back to the sisters and looked up at the Hopps house. "Whew, big place. Shall we?"

"Of course," June confirmed, and waved them towards the house. "After you."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing this chapter. The banter between Judy and June (with the rare chime from Jade) was such fun to write. And Nick at the end with Judy's fuzzy reaction made me feel like a million dollars. Bah I'm gushing over my own work again. How dare I? :P
> 
> Please tell me what you think! I'm always open for the words about my writing thingies:)


	11. Judy's Room

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Nick found himself with a strange feeling walking into the Hopps residence. The brightly painted walls appeared in an almost eerie fashion to him simply by the fact that the were all so cheerfully ridden with family photos, happy drawings, and quaint landscape paintings. The places Nick usually frequented were muted and dull. Only when he went anywhere with Judy were the grays and browns replaced with a more supple color palate, and of course the gray fur that followed with her presence. This seemed to be one such case.

When Judy walked into Nick's apartment it would have only felt natural to feel some reservation towards his private residence. It was after all, a fox den. And yet when Nick walked into a bunnys burrow he felt like he was entering a wolves den. Then again maybe he was getting too inside his head, he thought.

The entrance was immediately followed by a fair sized welcome/sitting room replete with a sufficient supply of shoe racks stuffed with various work boots and rubber galoshes, while the rest of the space was set with chairs and love seats. It was generous for a sitting room but that was to be expected with a couple hundred family members passing through each day.

Nick and Judy were led through to the next doorway into a room that nearly took his breath away. The space was gargantuan. It was more appropriate to call the building a comfortably furnished hotel than a farmhouse. It looked like a hotel lobby with staircases winding on both sides to balconies several floors up that overlooked what seemed to be the main living space. Couches were littered about in no particular pattern with various throw cushions, coffee tables, and small bookshelves with doohickeys and knick knacks spread across them. And occupying most of them were rabbits of every shape and size with fur the shades of gray and brown, skinny and plump, from giddy kits to young bucks and does; the spectrum covered all kinds.

In the corner he could see a small gathering of kits surrounding and older bespectacled rabbit in an easy chair with a cane shaking like a rattle in his paw. He pointed at the group in a grandfatherly way.

"Now kids, why are foxes red?"

The kits all recited at once in a healthy cacophony.

"Because they're made by the devil, Grandpa!"

The rabbit nodded affirmatively and Nick gulped at the sight.

And this was the family Nick was getting to know. Intimidating didn't begin to describe the prospect now put into perspective.

'Lovely,' he thought. 'I'll be dead before the week is out.'

While Nick gawked at the marvel of architecture that was a standard burrow in The Burrows (and wondered how long it was before someone tried to step on his tail on "accident"), Judy skipped over to a mail box shaped receptacle mounted on the wall perpendicular to the door. She snatched a small parcel and returned to Nick, slapping it into his paw. He looked down to see a neatly folded paper with the words "Hopps Family Farm" printed in a loud comic worthy font in various Easter themed colors. The colors might have seemed appropriate to the fox if not for the entirety of the papers origins being a mystery.

He spoke up as Judy headed forward into the fray catching her attention.

"Um, Carrots? What's this?" he said waving the paper over his head.

She raised an incredulous brow, almost perturbed by his inquiry.

"Well it's a brochure of course. An introduction to the household."

Nick looked to the paper and unfolded it. He scanned the contents, his eyes going from surprised to confused then back to surprised as he turned the pamphlet sideways to make sense of an almost eldritch looking diagram. Judy stood patiently with her paws clasped in front of her legs. It was enjoyable to watch him fumble with a concept so foreign to him as a tourist reference. She could tell that it was one of the few times he actually lost his cool veneer and his emotions were stitched on his sleeves. Judy found it to be insufferably adorable.

Nick raised his gaze from the paper to Judy, then to the large living room, then back to the paper. Finally he met her eyes, his mouth a crooked line at a loss for sensible thinking.

"Wouldn't it make more sense to dole out maps rather than an event schedule?" 

Judy blew out her breath in a snickering raspberry and waved her paw in his direction.

"Please Nick, that would be weird. Come on, let me show you where I grew up." She grabbed him by the paw leaving June and Jade to their own devices and led Nick through the building.

Firstly they walked to the middle of the living area. From where they were Nick could now make out the massive room in more detail with the fox spinning more than once to drink in his surroundings. The room really was more of an appropriated lobby than a living room. The balconies curled around the floor in a circle pattern, giving the entire room a standing egg shaped feel to it. At the tip of the egg was a large skylight spilling in the last of the evening sunlight in a slowly fading orange across the side of the room. The rest was lit with various rustic chandeliers with plain light bulbs that seemed to fit oddly well with the aesthetic. Overall this part of the building seemed like a country lodge to Nicks more urbanely inclined sensibilities.

As he again drank in his surroundings he was too busy to notice Judy's various greetings to and from the odd assortment of her family. Some approached her with open arms hugging her with warm welcome and one or two gave interested leers to the fox observing the environment with his canid mouth agape. Some gave knowing nods in her direction. Regardless of circumstance everyone welcomed her from the old and curmudgeonly to the bounciest kit at her feet. It was truly comforting to be home.

After the many hellos and the like, Judy tugged at Nicks sleeve.

"So, in case you haven't gathered this is the living room. Most of us spend time here when we weren't out and about in the fields or at school or work." She giggled at his wide eyed expression. "What's the matter Slick? Expecting some sort of cannibal cult cave or something?"

Having registered the comment in his head Nick shook away his expression, replacing it with an entertained grin.

"Judy this place is amazing." Judy gasped lightly at the stark wonder in his voice. Already he seemed at ease and excited in the new location, in a place that was so important to her and it made her heart skip a beat. He turned on his heels and waved to the open air.

"I mean it's no fox den, but it's certainly got a charm about it." He looked over his shoulder at her and wiggled his eyebrows.

Her apprehension melted into her smile and she shook her head with soft eyes aimed at him.

"You'll have plenty of time to get to know the place."

She walked past him into one of the side halls that ran out of the room deeper into the burrows. He followed her obediently with his paws hanging languidly at his sides, taking note of almost every detail of his surroundings. That had only been first room and he was already blown away at its simplistic, wholesome aesthetic. Judy was lucky to grow up in such a tightly knit place like this, he thought. He wondered what else these tunnels had in store for him. He wouldn't put it past her family to have built a theme park in this burrow. That would be fantastic.

They climbed a few flights of stairs to the third floor passing many a lingering eye. Judy greeted each and every one of them while Nick stood at her side only speaking when introduced first. He was acting remarkably well behaved, having toned down the snark considerably for Judy's benefit; it wouldn't do them any good for news of unbecoming behavior getting back to Mister and Missus Hopps.

Eventually they stopped in front of a simple door, it's face unassuming from its brothers and sisters down the hall except for a police badge scrawled across its surface in faded permanent marker. Judy hummed wistfully, her eyes blinking slowly to memories of a simpler time in her life. Nick lingered idly at her side, smiling knowingly at what must be a wonderfully somber moment for her. After a moment he bumped his hip into her side.

"I take it this is it, huh?" He waved grandly to the door. "Your old hopping grounds, as it were."

Judy caught the joke and flicked a finger under Nicks chin for him to follow her. She turned the door knob and pushed into the vacant room. Inside it was almost as simple as he had expected it to be as whenever Judy decorated a room which took Nick a little by surprise. There was a bed with a carrot patterned quilt against the left wall, a desk across from it, a bookshelf next to that, and window on the far wall. Beside the door was a small closet with a simple swirl pattern carved into the wooden doors.

Again Judy sighed in thought as Nick walked over to the bed. He turned towards her with his paws in pocket.

"And this is where it all happened." He nodded to himself with a smug smirk and promptly hopped back and flattened himself onto the bed with a creak from the springboard mattress.

Judy rolled her eyes.

"Come on, I never brought any boys to my room you perv," she said and moved to join him in a sit. Nick propped himself up on his elbow and stared at her through half lidded eyes.

"Oh, so there were boys then, hmm?" He raised an eyebrow while two of his fingers wandered their way up her leg in a walking gesture.

"Well I mean, not a lot," she said trying to fight the blush under her fur. Again her ears betrayed her with a flaring pink and Nicks smile grew wider.

"Or any," he teased. His paw found its way to her other arm and he pulled her over him till she laid on his chest looking into his emerald eyes.

"Well," she cooed taking in the sight of her fox, "I was busy with more important things." Her words started tapering off into a whisper. There was something a little exciting about bringing her secret lover into the room where she dreamed of bigger things: her future as an officer, the city she yearned to live in, but least of all romance. Yet here she was, his breath teasing her lips with eyes burning a hole through her with want. Excited didn't seem to do the feeling justice.

Nick traced a finger to her chin and inched her closer to him. Their mouths were millimeters away from touching and Judy was beginning to lose herself in him.

"There's a boy in here now..." he whispered and pulled her lips to kiss.

"Jude!" Her fathers voice boomed from the other side of the door followed by a series of knocks. "You in there?"

Both Nick and Judy's eyes went round. Their mutual stare of desire instantly fizzled to panic and their heads whipped to the door. The handle jiggled and Judy leapt into action, moving like a fire had been lit under her tail and twisting the lock with speed. When she turned back to formulate a plan Nick was nowhere to be seen.

'Cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese!' she thought. This was exactly what she had been afraid of happening and it was happening not even an hour after they had arrived. Where had her restraint gone? she chastised herself.

"Judy? The doors stuck. Can you fix it on your end?"

At the very least she had bought her and Nick some time to get their stories straight. Now if only she could find out where the fox had disappeared off to she would be golden.

"One moment!" she yelled. She frantically pored over the room with her eyes looking high and low for a trace of the red fox. It was as if he had evaporated as she had feared earlier. 'Now who's going crazy,' she thought.

"Is Nick there with you? We can't seem to find hair nor hide of the boy and I want to shake that fox's paw."

With no sign of him Judy huffed and stomped her foot as quietly as she could with her burgeoning stress. She moved to the door and flipped the ornate key lock on the fitting and twisted it open, plastering the brightest, most innocent smile she could muster on her muzzle. If Nick could see her he would've seen right through those pearly whites in an instant.

"Hi Dad!"

Stu Hopps stood in the doorway looking about as casual as he managed. The older rabbit always seemed to have a light nervousness about him even in the comfort of his own home. Judy always interpreted it as a fatherly worry with him simply being too kindhearted for his own good. She respected that about him even if it did make him a little overprotective with her mom on his side.

"There ya are, Jude the dude!" His face brightened considerably at the sight of his daughter and he held his arms open for a hug. Judy happily obliged him in the only way a daughter could giving his older form a hearty embrace and patting his back with strength. They pulled back from one another and Stu gave her a once over.

"You look great Judy. Glad to see you here safe." He hadn't seen her since before the shooting had happened and Judy had to fight tooth and nail to keep her entire family from making the trip up to the city after she was all healed up. Somehow she had convinced them of her improving health and that wasn't necessary. 

"It's good to see you too, Dad." She managed to place herself strategically in the way of door in case a certain fox decided to make a very boneheaded move like breathe too loudly in their direction. The last thing Judy needed was to be caught in her locked bedroom with her secret boyfriend by her father. Nightmares were made of weaker stuff.

"Where's Nick? We expected you two a while ago."

"I'm sorry Dad. I got so excited to show Nick around that I just," she kicked at the empty air with a cough, "...couldn't help myself."

If Stu had more context his eyes might have gone as wide as saucers, but as it stood he chuckled the comment away tossing his paw in a wave.

"Ah it's no trouble. I would get excited to show someone the ole burrow myself." Judy grimaced at the comment in her head but kept her smile, gritting her teeth a little. "Speaking of which, wheres he at? I'm looking forward to meeting him face to face."

"Oh he..." She fumbled over backwards in her mind trying to come up with a story that made sense. It pained her to lie to her father, but it would pain her even more if he rejected the fox outright. "He....went to go find our luggage! That's right, June and Jade took off with it." She gave a hollow chuckle. "He's prolly looking for the guest room then."

Stu nodded in thought before replacing his smile. "Well when ya find him bring him our way. Your moms almost done with dinner and I'm sure she'd love to meet him as well."

Judy nodded fastidiously, her smile so wide her cheeks started to ache.

"Yup! Can do!"

"Hop to it," he said with his usual jovial smile. As he made his way down the hall he turned one last time with a warm smile in her direction. "I'm really glad your home, Jude."

"Me too, Dad."

He nodded one final time and walked down the hall. Judy watched him every step of the way making sure he was not to return to her room until he rounded the corner. When he did, she fell back into the room shutting and locking the door behind her. She breathed out a heavy sigh.

"That was close," she said aloud. She walked into the middle of the room and looked around, spinning in a circle. "Nick? You there?"

She noticed the curtain pulled back from her window ever so slightly and moved toward it. After unfastening the latch she pulled the shutter back and stuck her head into the cool evening air. The sun had set completely now and the night was clearer than she had seen in months now. The countryside sky was clear as crystal with the stars twinkling like the lightning bugs that danced across the fields playfully. Her window looked out to the front yard, it being one of the comical eyes of the bunny face of the house. She sighed at the view. Oh how she had missed it.

"That was almost a scene from a bad movie," came a voice from the side, making Judy jump in surprise.

Out on the ledge sat Nick, kicking his footpaws at the air over the side of the generous legroom the ledge allowed. He leaned back on his arms, his paws tapping a rhythm from one of his songs in the wooden surface. 

"I uh," he cleared his throat, "accidentally locked myself out here."

Judy furrowed her brow and looked to the other side before looking back to him.

"How did you even manage to get out here without me knowing?"

Nick let his head hang back and winked at her.

"You forget, Carrots. I am a very sly fox." He kipped up to a stand and leaned against the wall. "Not to mention you bolted up to that door like Bogo was on the other side in one of his tirades. Priceless."

Judy climbed out the window and joined him with a frown.

"You could stand to be a little more concerned, Nick. We were almost caught immediately after having arrived." Her ears fell and she started stroking one in nervous thought as she shook her head. "That was reckless of us."

Nick cocked his head on its side. "But we weren't, and that's what counts. I can't help if you think I'm irresistible."

Judy dropped her arms and sighed. Her eyes turned serious and Nicks own followed suit at the sight of the change.

"I just don't want them to hate you. Hate us." She let her head sag and her frown turned genuine in thought. 

Nick held his paw out and Judy took it, letting him guide her to sit at his side. He joined her crisscrossing his legs and wrapping an arm around her.

"Hey, we can't think like that. We have to believe that they'll be open to the idea." Nick frowned for a second but replaced it with his loving smirk. "Even if they don't approve, nothing will change between us. I'll still be your dumb fox and you'll still be my cute bunny."

She sniffled at his words and looked up to meet his eyes. "You're not supposed to call a bunny cute, Nick." She smiled.

"I wouldn't say it to any other bunny. Just this one." He tapped her nose. "The one I love."

"Sappy fox."

"Lovely bunny."

She pulled closer under his arm and looked up to him. "You know, you were saying something before we got interrupted."

Nick put his finger to his chin in thought. "Was I? Oh Yes, I was."

He traced his finger under her chin and lifted it till her lips met his and they held there for a moment, letting themselves be open to each other while the moment lasted. Judy pulled back from the kiss and smiled brightly at her fox.

"You're right, It won't be so bad. I'll be there to bail you out when you mess up."

"Who says it'll be me that messes up, Carrots?" He stood again and pulled her up with him taking a moment to admire the view. Judy couldn't tell if he was looking more at the horizon or at her, but that didn't bother her one bit.

"Beautiful," he whispered. "Come on. Let's go make fools of ourselves in front of your parents."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like fluff. Fluff is best and I will squeeze it in wherever I can. It is my favorite. Send me your words! :D


	12. Actual Homecoming

\---

While they might have been expected half an hour ago, Judy and Nick let her parents wait a little longer while they toured the route to the kitchen. Judy explained humorous moments from her childhood with just about every corner they turned. Every inch of the house seemed to hold a story and Nick listened to them intently. After his roguish trip to get to the farm and the obvious absence of a certain bunny during, he was happy to listen to whatever she had to say if only to hear her voice sing in his pointed ears.

When they reached the dining area of the house Nick wasn't sure what to expect. A food court fit for a high school? A factory line with mixing vats churning out mass orders of dinner? Instead he was greeted by a combination of the two.

Past the dining room which did indeed look like a large food court albeit with the same rustic design as the rest of the house, Nick found himself being led into a rather quaint kitchen, unremarkable in any way from the standard ensemble he was used to encountering. Amidst the various fixtures moved Bonnie Hopps, dancing from one place to another, occupied with the assorted cooking apparatuses.

Standing in the doorway Nick was almost taken aback by the nondescript approach in decor when the rest of the house seemed to have been ordered in the bulk variety from Costco.

"Hey Carrots," Nick whispered with a nudge to her side, "isn't this kitchen a bit small for an army the size of your family?"

Judy opened her mouth to answer but was cut off by an answer from behind them.

"You'd be right, my boy!" Yelled Stu, perhaps a little too excited for his guests good. Both Nick and Judy nearly jumped out of their furs as the elder Hopps continued like nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Most of the kits prepare their meals in the other kitchen. Me and Bonnie cook for the guests."

Nick picked at his ringing ears with his pinky finger, wincing slightly.

"Other kitchen, sir?"

"Well sure!" Stu waved at the opposite door in the kitchen. The fox walked over with Stu and was regaled by the adjoining room as large as a gymnasium and lined with all manner of cookery: stovetop ovens, microwaves, coffee makers; if Nick could think it, it was there.

"Ah. I'm beginning to sense a pattern here," Nick said.

Stu rested his thumbs in the straps of his overalls.

"Yup! Gotta buy in bulk in our kind of family! I'm sure Judy's told you about rabbits and multiplying." He ended with a chuckle.

"Oh yes," Nick smirked in thought. "She's told me. Many times." Judy face palmed from behind the conversation hoping Nick wouldn't be stupid enough to venture into unsung territory.

Stu smiled again and joined his wife at the counter where she was stirring a pot, humming all the way. He tapped on her shoulder pulling her from her work and she finally noticed the guests in her domain. She clapped in excitement sending a small poof of flour around her.

"Oh my! I hadn't noticed you there. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in what I'm doing," she wiped her paws on her apron and held one out in greeting. "Anyway, I'm Bonnie. Pleasure to finally meet you Nick."

Nick shook both her and Stus paws with a respectable grip to each of them and a polite smile. This was it, the start of the game plan. He tried to switch on the charm at a level enough to win some brownie points, but not enough that he was insufferable.

"The pleasures all mine, Mr. And Mrs. Hopps."

The matronly Hopps waved in bashful politeness at the fox. "Oh no reason to stand on ceremony. Bonnie," she said with her paw to her chest.

"And Stu," chimed in Stu.

"Alright Bonnie, Stu," he said nodding to each of them. "I must say your house is rather impressive to say the least. I've never encountered such a place in all my life."

Stu again pulled at the strap on his chest in affirmation.

"But then again you've never been friends with a Hopps then have you? We don't take any half measures," he said beaming with pride and looking in Judy's direction.

Nick chuckled silently and clasped his paws behind his back.

"It's true. There doesn't seem to be a lack of excitement when your daughters involved." He also turned to Judy just in time to see a blush rapidly forming on her face. "She keeps me on my toes that's for sure."

Stu stepped forward removing his hat from his head.

"She's not the only one watching someone's back as I take it." He looked up to meet the fox's gaze and Nick could feel the intensity there. "We wanted to get this done right off the bat so, from the bottom of our hearts," Bonnie joined her husbands forthcoming by taking his paw, "we wanted to thank you for what you did for our little girl Mr. Wilde. You saved her life from the way she tells it and we wouldn't want anyone else keeping track of her than you."

Nick crossed his arms and blinked heavily in thought.

"I-- wow. Jump right into it huh?"

"It's been a long time coming, that's for sure. We mean it, sincerely," said Bonnie with a smile.

Judy came up beside Nick laying her paw on his arm for support. She hadn't expected her parents to leap straight into this moment, especially not right after meeting Nick, but here they were and she could tell that gratitude was not something he was used to. He accepted her touch gratefully, looking to her for affirmation. She nodded to him and he looked back to the Hopps'. 

"I'm not sure what she's told you, but I owe Judy tenfold more than what I did for her." He scratched at the back of his neck. "She kinda saved me first."

"Oh poppycock." Stu said waving his arm. "I don't know what kind of upbringing you've had, and Judy's respected your privacy with us, but where we come from that kind of action makes you family, son." He replaced his hat and held his arms open. "So come here and let us thank you proper now."

Nick breathed out in surprise. "Wh--...alright."

He walked over to the pair and was embraced like he was one of their own. Judy looked on and nearly let a tear fall from her eye until her mother waved her into the hug. She happily obliged. When they were finished they all pulled back and Stu clapped Nick on the back.

"Regardless of circumstance you'll always be welcome here. Now," he clapped his paws and rubbed them together, "who's hungry?"

Almost to answer both Nick and Judy's stomach growled loudly in response. Judy's blush intensified and Nick thanked God for his red fur and backward facing ears.

"I'll take that as a yes," Stu said with a laugh and straightened his hat. "You two go find yourselves a seat and I'll help Bonnie finish up in here with the grub."

He waved them away and the fox and younger bunny left to make way for the dining room.

"He didn't mean actual grubs did he, Carrots?"

Judy rolled her eyes. "Of course not Nick. That's only for special occasions," she said and crossed the threshold searching for a seat. Nick stopped in his tracks to ponder before lifting a finger in question, trailing after Judy.

"Wait, you're just kidding right? Carrots?" His pace quickened intently after his lovely bunny's fluffy tail. "Judy I'm not eating a worm!"

\---

With little to no ribbing from Judy dinner had passed smoothly. Bonnie had prepared a cheesy broccoli casserole that Nick had found simply delectable and he made sure to sing its praises. Over the course of the meal he and Stu swapped stories about Judy form raising her on the farm and how peculiar of a child she was to the fox's ever stretched truth of her on the police force near constant earning Bogo's ire (with Nicks help of course). Nick even teased little tales of his more lighthearted shenanigans when he worked the hustle of the streets. By the end of the night Judy felt like she was going to pull her ears off in embarrassment. At least Nick and the family got along swimmingly, and he didn't even have to eat a single worm much to his delight.

In between banters Judy tried to intervene with stories of her own, sometimes testing the boundaries of personal space between her and Nick. At these times he would warn her on the sly either with a soft nudge of the foot or a glance that lingered in her direction a second too long. She would thank him silently, playfully repaying his efforts with a poke of her fork. Best not to let him get too comfortable after all.

When the meal was over and eyes grew heavy, Bonnie and Stu entrusted Judy to show Nick to the room where he would be staying. He thanked the both of them profusely for the opportunity to meet them and Stu simply chuckled.

"No, thank you Mr. Wilde. Without you, our daughter might have actually given up on her dream in the big city." He looked over to her bussing some of the plates from the kits. "We ain't never seen her this happy. I'm sure you play a part in that and I'm grateful."

Nick nodded with thanks. "Nick, please."

"Nick it is then." He clapped his paws and stood from the table. "You better get some sleep, son. In the morning we're putting you to work, show you how a farmer earns their keep. Not to mention there's the festival to prepare for. Anyway, hop to it."

The fox snapped a pointing finger at the rabbit and clicked his tongue with a wink.

"Ah, good one Stu. Goodnight."

The fox left them to talk amongst themselves hopeful that he had left a glowing impression on the pair of them, and met Judy leaving the room.

"Guest room?" he said.

Judy nodded, fast at first and then slower. "Right. Guest room." She waved him through the door and she led him his own little piece of the burrow, his "den within the den".

Along the way Nick couldn't help but notice an apprehension Judy carried with her. The unusual stiffness of her ears, the rigidity of her stance, it all pointed to Judy holding something back. Nick hoped that it wasn't as serious as his mind was willing to play it up to be. He waited until they found his room to bring it up though for fear that it might concern their more private affairs.

They walked about the same distance as they did to Judy's room albeit a floor lower until they found another unassuming room adorned with a simple plaque labeled "guest". 

Nick smiled and nodded, impressed.

"No detail left unfulfilled," he said. He looked back down to Judy who stood tapping her foot softly against the wood floor. "Hey. You alright, Carrots?"

She looked back up at him biting her lip, then up and down the hall once before abruptly dragging him down by his tie and crushing her lips against his. Nick was caught unaware by the sudden assault and stumbled into her waiting paws and backwards through the door. Judy continued to kiss hungrily at him but was able to shut the door behind them.

They stumbled to the floor with Judy on top before she finally relinquished her strong pull on his muzzle, breaking for oxygen. Nick twisted his face, searching for the lost feeling in his mouth before he met her gaze with a raised brow.

"Well now," he purred. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" His paws crawled from their spot on the floor and up Judy's slender legs till they cupped at her buttocks. She responded by moving her own paws behind her and sliding the fox's wandering touch back down.

"Don't get too excited, Slick. I just needed to get you alone for a spell."

His features faltered briefly but he kept his playfulness about him with a low, affectionate growl.

"Aww, spoilsport." He sat up with his bunny sliding back into his lap. His paws still itched to entice a little more from his sweet bunny but Nick leashed the thought with his question. "What did you want me alone for?"

"Two things," she said and stood pulling them both to their feet. She held onto his paws, taking one of them and rubbing her cheek into it. "One, I wanted to thank you for being such a gentlefox towards my parents. That couldn't have gone any smoother if we had planned it."

Nick earlier itch manifested as a warm tickle at Judy's ear with a careful claw and she giggled softly in his palm. "And the other reason?"

Judy ran her paws up to the sides of his face until he leaned down and she pulled him in for another, slower kiss. Nicks paws held but for a moment till he was completely enraptured by the game her lips played on his and they feel at her sides. Their game turned into a dance, with both bunny and fox pushing lightly against the other with ascending nibbles and bites at their mate and the figurative and literal hear building with it. Nick wanted nothing more than to taste her in her entirety, to have her naked fur against his and connect on that primal level once more, but he curbed his passion if only to keep Judy's family from hearing a hearty rutting from the unlikely couple in their first night being here.

Judy's own thoughts were similar as she broke the contact with a quivering breath and staunched the fire there. She held her head against his and gently stroked his cheek.

"I just...could not wait another second to thank you properly."

"Sly bunny," Nick said as he held her paws to stop them from going anywhere else. He eventually managed to stand and drift further from her until he left her grip entirely and walked to the bed.

"Looks like your sister left my bag here." He kicked it lightly. "Yup, and left all my stuff inside too. Such wonderful service here on the farm."

Judy crossed her paws behind her back and meandered over to the end of the bed, kicking causally at the air despite the humble helping of electricity still present in the room.

"So. What did you think of my folks?"

Nick glanced at her with a smile while rummaging through his bag. He lifted out a pair of pajama pants and a cozy button up.

"I can see why you turned out so perfect. They're good mammals, I can tell that." He laid the clothes out on the bed and Judy smiled silently at him.

She leaned on the footboard of the bed crossing her arms over each other and held her elbows. Her heart beat a little faster at the knowing acceptance that Nick was beginning to feel for her parents. Judy had almost feared that they might scare off her fox with their "gentrified" ways and home style cooking. 

"I think they like you. At least my dad does and not just because I threatened them when you weren't looking," she joked. Her smile turned genuine and Nick noticed the softening of her eyes. It was rare for Judy to give him "the look". The one she usually wore when she worked, when she did something she loved. When that special gleam was aimed at Nick he would do anything for her at a moments notice. He fought for her day and night to look at him with such affection and when it finally hit him...

"You were great out there," she said.

Nicks breath seized for a moment and he struggled to keep up what he was doing. What was he doing?

'Shirts?', he recalled, but that thought was instantly pushed aside and the blaring impact of Judy's words and "the look". After fumbling a little more than was necessary with another crumpled shirt from his bag Nick managed to resume a sense of oneness in his body and spoke up with an at first shaky, but soon regained tone.

"Well I've got a lot of experience kissing up to bunnies," He unbuttoned his shirt and laid it out on the bed. "In case you haven't noticed."

Judy hummed happily. She had noticed. How could she not? Nick was very affectionate to her now that they held all of their secrets open to one another. Whenever Judy wanted to ask something she did, and if Nick was willing to elaborate he usually did. If he didn't, he would come around later and explain his reasons. They would talk about it like a healthy relationship should and work through it together. It was at that moment she was struck with a thought and couldn't help but inquire about it. It seemed oddly appropriate.

"Nick," she opened with measured caution, "how come you never talk about your parents?"

He turned to her and raised his brow. From what she could tell he didn't seem perturbed by the question, merely surprised. She hoped she hadn't touched an overly sensitive portion of his past.

"My parents?" He dramatically put his paw to his chest but dropped in when he felt it wasn't worth the effort to cover up with sarcasm. A small part thought that it was a serious question but that voice was silenced with Nicks overwhelming inner snark.

"We weren't really anything special. I told you about my mom, how she supported me like any dedicated single mother should." He paused. "My dad..." He gave a small frown before tilting his head, almost in confusion Judy observed. "My dad was just never part of the picture."

Nick set his bag to the side and sat down on the comforter. He looked to his paws and how they sat uncomfortably empty in his lap. It bothered him and he couldn't place why. 

"I asked my mom about him once. She told me he was a decent fox but....full of ideas. Ideas too big for where we were at the time." He shrugged. "I figured, without a way to go about seeing them through, he up and left. I might have been young but I could tell it hurt her to talk about him. So, I never asked what happened."

When he told his story Judy had moved to his side, her ears having flattened as she mulled over his words.

"That's actually...kind of sad."

Nick looked her up and down. "Is it?" He nodded slowly to himself. "I guess it kinda is."

She couldn't help but look to him and probe a bit further. The bunny risked stepping into unstable ground but it was rare for Nick to just open up about anything. It intrigued her, and sometimes she couldn't help her innate rabbit curiosity.

"Where is your mom now?" she asked almost afraid of what the answer might be. 

Her fox let out a long breath and Judy steeled herself for what she hoped wasn't as morbid as her curiosity seemed.

"She lives in the city on the upper east side of Savannah Central." 

"Oh." She silently thanked whichever gods might be watching over. "Do you talk with her often?"

"Not as often as I would like. We sort of drifted apart over the years. It was more my doing than hers, I feel." Nick quirked his lips in a testy smile and leaned his body in her direction. 

"Ive uh....kind of thought about coming around to see her. Patch things up, you know? Maybe bring my beautiful, bunny girlfriend with me?"

Judy recognized that the way he said it was more of a question than a statement. He was asking her to meet his parent. Despite the swelling in her chest Judy managed to keep her face steeled enough to smile softly in acknowledgement.

"Of course I'll go with you, Nick."

He smiled to her and nodded gratefully. When he looked down to see a gray paw joined in his red one, his heart warmed from the cold he hadn't even known was there. Judy's other paw found itself planted softly on his cheek and Nick rubbed into it affectionately, closing his eyes with an exhale out through his nose. The breath warmed her fur and Judy couldn't help but edge another smile as she wrapped her arms around her fox pulling him into her loving embrace.

"Thank you for telling me Nick. I know you don't usually talk about things like this."

He shrugged and she rubbed her head into his chest. "It's not usually something that comes up." He pulled back till he met her eyes. "Thanks for listening."

Judy pointed up to her ears. "Always here, remember?"

"Right you are, fluff." He lifted her off of him and got up, stretching with a groan. Nick pointed an upturned paw to the shower. "Think you could risk a little more private time with your favorite fox?" he said, wagging his eyebrows.

Judy frowned. She did want that, and a twinge of something tingled through her body but she pushed it down. The circumstances weren't right. She would make it up to him somehow.

"We better not. We've already pushed the envelope enough as it is today."

"Suit yourself. However, if I could steal one more second of your time..." He curled his finger towards her in a "come hither" motion. Judy obliged with a smirk and sauntered into his arms to steal a long gentle kiss. She broke it with a smile and rubbed against his chest to memorize his scent for the night. That sweet cinnamon enveloped her senses and when her thoughts turned to sleeping alone that night she gave a soft whine without realizing it.

"Don't worry, Carrots. I'm sure we'll have plenty of opportunities to get caught macking it tomorrow," he joked. Judy threw a quick punch to his shoulder and Nick held up his paws placatingly. 

"Kidding! I'm kidding!"

"Dumb fox." She huffed back into the hug. "I love you," she said softly.

"I love you too. Now go on, get out of here you scamp." He nudged her to the door and shut himself in the bathroom leaving Judy with a resigned sadness covering her face.

"Tomorrow then." She shut the door and headed upstairs for the sanctity her room, preparing to spend another night alone.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Started as two parts, turned into one sorta longer one. With fluff to buffer! Aren't I just the sweetest? :p
> 
> Not as sweet as these two bundles of joy but bah you catch my drift.


	13. Morning Comes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These next couple of chapters are gonna be the first day. Turns out I wrote a lot all for the first day so...yep. Next two or three chapters maybe. But at least they're guaranteed so yippee:)

\---

It might have seemed like a lifetime ago, but sleeping in her bed Judy could have sworn it had only been a month since she last slept in her bed, less if that was possible. The sheets had hugged her fur just right, the box spring mattress creaked in the way she remembered, and the moonlight shone through the curtains perfectly. Everything was exactly how she had left it.

And yet she had felt so out of place last night. In the space of her bed she felt cold and alone. Judy was used to spending the night in her apartment alone, even without a certain fox to keep her warm at night. Those nights usually carried with them a nightly talking to with Nick until she felt at ease enough to fall asleep. But last night was different. Even when she had just talked to Nick, in person no less, she couldn't catch a wink of sleep.

When Judy stretched in the morning her body felt heavy and aching like she had ran a marathon without water and decided to bench press a rhino afterwards. Even then she managed to fulfill her morning routine: taking a shower, brushing her teeth, and slipping into a comfortable orange blouse and breathy jeans. When she looked in the mirror one last time before she left to start the day Judy couldn't help but feel she was getting into her head too much. The anxiety was gnawing at her making her anticipate having to walk on eggshells around her family for the duration of the visit. How long could she keep this up? Her parents were in the dark but they weren't dumb. It was only a matter of time before she slipped up and got a little too cozy around her fox with them in the room. Then the jig would be up, and what would she say?

Judy shook the thoughts away. She needed to get a handle around the situation before the wheels came off. With a deep breath she steeled herself and left the room slamming the door behind her.

When Judy stepped into the kitchen and saw Nick sitting at the table with an unusual exuberant glow in his expression she couldn't help but let the thoughts take the backseat. Just the sight of him was enough to quell a portion of the dark thoughts and set her mind at ease. From the way he shone even brighter at her arrival Judy gathered that he had slept well.

Nick never had any trouble sleeping when she was away. He would be lonely sure, but that didn't stop the lazy fox from catching some z's as he was wont to do. As a matter of fact he was likely to fall asleep almost anywhere, Judy recalled. She usually fell into the same routine, but here and now, and last night...

Seeing her love helped, and maybe, just maybe that was enough.

"Morning Slick," she hopped past him for the coffee pot.

Nick sipped from his mug and let a satisfied "ah" finish his drink. The Hopps family home-brew was agreeing nicely with his palette.

"Morning Carrots. Sleep well?"

Judy paused as she opened the cabinet but managed to break her train of thought when her paw wrapped around a mug.

"Like a rock," she lied.

Nick would catch the fib. He always did, but he would know enough to let it go until later when they were alone.

"You seem unusually chipper for a fox staying in a rabbit burrow," she added not wanting to dwell on her own sleepy shortcomings.

Nick shrugged to a stand and twirled his mug in a circle on the table. "I'm trying to keep an open mind." His smile grew mischievous and he spoke softer. "Bunnies have already shown me so much that I can appreciate. What's another trip down the rabbit hole to this old fox?"

"What's that?" piped Bonnie from the counter. As far as Nick could tell, Mrs. Hopps almost always busing herself with something around the house. And despite all this her senses didn't seem as dulled as she made them out to be.

Nick glossed over the question expertly with his own inquiry, a tactic Judy caught onto almost immediately, and thankfully so.

"Where's Stu? He told me he had some work for me this morning."

On cue the rabbit in question walked into the kitchen with a sudden yawn worthy of a lion causing Nick to choke on his coffee in surprise. Judy in turn stifled a laugh with her paw across her mouth. The fox shot her a glance laced with a furrowed brow and she only snickered more into her paw. Nick eventually managed to compose the coughing fit and cleared his throat in Stus direction.

The rabbit turned and leaned against the counter with a mug glued to his mouth. After a few long sips he seemed refueled and his features lightened.

"Morning, all. The guest room suit you well enough Nick?"

Nick reached behind him and thumped the ache in his back on the sly.

"Like a rock," he parroted with a sideways glance at his honeybun. She reflexively pursed her lips. 'Yeah he caught it,' she thought.

"Swell," came Stus reply. He looked to his watch and the edges of his mouth crooked to a frown. He downed the rest of his coffee in a few gulps and set the mug on the counter. No sooner than it was put down it was picked up and scrubbed clean by Bonnie. "Looks like the day snuck up on me. So," he clapped his paws again at Nick and rubbed them together.

"Here's the skinny. You can either come along with me and help set up at the fairgrounds, or you can stick around here and help Judy out with the daily haul. It'll be more work but repetitive and easy to follow."

Nick looked to Judy and she returned his gaze with an encouraging flourish of her paw. It was up to him, the gesture said.

"If it's all the same to you Stu," he said still looking to Judy, "I'd rather stick around here with the family. Not quite sure I'm ready to be injecting myself into local tradition just yet."

The older rabbit shrugged. "Makes no difference to me. I would rather she kept an eye on you anyway what with the kits going around causing mischief. Sticking tails into wood chippers." Nick arched his brow in genuine terror but Stu only curtly stated, "it's happened before and I don't want a repeat. I hope you're not averse to hard work."

Nick looked down at himself and tugged at the hem of his gray t-shirt. "I assume this is sufficient?"

Stu gave the fox a once over and nodded. "It'll do. It's funny," he said pointing between to Nicks gray shirt and Judy's orange shirt. "You two are almost matching."

The pair scanned over the other and reconfirmed the fashion faux pas each with their own level of embarrassment. Judy blushed and Nick tapped his claws against the table.

"I'll keep him out of trouble, Dad," Judy said to break the silence.

"Good. I'll be off then. Be good!" He absconded from the kitchen leaving with a kiss to his wife's cheek. Bonnie waved him out before turning to Judy.

"You two better get started as well if you want to be done by the afternoon. Your fathers been so preoccupied with the festival this year he's been falling behind on the actual harvest." She chuckled to herself. "How's that for ironic?"

Judy turned to Nick. "Maybe you should have gone with Dad. He might need the help if it's that busy this year."

Bonnie shook her head. "Oh no, he's got all the help he could want from the other families! The older boys are stepping up this year for the tradition and it's only a matter of time before they take the reins all on their own. You two focus on the farm, Stu has it under control."

"Not too many foxes around here anyway," Nick added. "Don't want to scare the locals." He bared his arms in a clawing scare and Judy shook her head at the fox.

"Alright you. Let's get a move on." They stood from the table and headed for the back door.

Just as they were leaving though, Bonnie called out. "Oh Judy! I've heard Mrs. Pepperbottoms boy is single. Perhaps when your done this evening I can set up a meeting, hmm?"

Nick stopped and aimed a wide eyed smile at his honeybun. Judy returned the look with as much vitriol she could muster in a single glare that threatened the fox with future retribution, but the effort was muted and Nick covered his mouth in a stifled chuckle, feeling a keen sense of revenge from his earlier sputter. Judy sighed loudly to the open air not even bothering to face her mother as she laid out her retort, the newest in a long line.

"No offense mom, but even if I was willing to see that through I wouldn't want to be stuck with the name Pepperbottom."

Bonnie harrumphed and the duo continued to the outside in relative silence. Once they reached the door to the backyard Nick stopped and couldn't help but make one of his keen observations.

"I didn't think your mom was actually trying to set you up with every bun under the sun," Nick said satisfied with his wordplay. "Any winners in the bunch? I would aim high and marry the heir to a family dynasty. Wouldn't have to work another day in my life."

Judy glared at him with readily apparent irritation. She was patient with him but even Judy had her limits when he reused jokes. But before she could retort, a lightbulb flashed in her mind. A mischievous smile stretched across her muzzle and Nicks smirk shrank accordingly.

"I'm gonna work you to the bone, fox."

Part of Judy felt guilty when Nicks smile completely vanished and at how he tried to gulp back his fear. But Judy was a little cranky this morning. Nick recognized a part of that look. The part of him that said the fox had taken things a little too far for his own good. Last time he saw that expression he had to start paying taxes again.

Nick forced a smile but this time the switch to his charm seemed to be in need of maintenance. It sparked and fizzed cashing his voice to crack and Judy brightened at his visible discomfort.

"I," the crack appeared and he cleared it, "I can hoof it with the rest of you bunnies, Carrots. Just you watch. I might surprise you."

Her smile widened to a grin and Nick was chilled even further into himself. At this rate he would get used to Tundratown weather if Judy kept aiming that freeze ray at him.

"I'm looking forward to it," she said with a flat smile.

\---

Growing up in Zootopia Nick had learned quite a few things in addition to his skills as a con artist. Fennec foxes tended to be older than they looked, a weasel would almost always try to pull a fast one even if you had an arrangement (at least Duke Weaslton would), and always look both ways before crossing the street. And never accept candy from strangers. In his near endless smarts not a once did Nick ever learn how to nurse and grow produce, or how to drive a tractor. He and the sun never seemed to agree. At the very least he would monitor the pawpsicle stand on the sidewalk but the city was full of shade and the frozen treats usually sold out before any started to melt. Simply put, he was not a farmer.

The first hurdle that was apparent was the temperature. When he stepped out after Judy, Nick was hit by the sudden chill of the early morning. He reflexively curled his arms around himself. Judy stopped a few steps out and looked back at the fox with one paw on her hip.

"What's wrong?" She questioned innocently. "Is the big, bad fox having second thoughts?"

Nick shivered in response. Already a second in and his teeth had started to chatter; he had to struggle to form a coherent sentence and when he did it came out as a startled yell.

"Where in the hello did this cold come from!?"

Judy walked back over to the fox-cicle and crossed her arms looking very pleased with herself. "Oh this?" she twinkled her fingers through the air and returned to form, "this is country weather, Slick. I knew you with your urban sensibilities wouldn't expect such a drastic," she air quoted the word, "change in scenery. Though I do appreciate you cutting back on the cursing."

Nick tried to smile through a joke but the cold was seeping into his bones now, he could feel it. The climate control of Sahara Square suddenly seemed very appealing.

"W-well, if you're so tame with your w-words I can only imagine how sheltered your f-family must be."

"Come on. If you get to work it'll warm you up. And barring that," she stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. "If you're a good little soldier, I'm sure we can find other ways to, ahem, turn up the heat later."

Nicks ears perked and his tail stopped its erratic shivering. Judy noticed and giggled to herself and Nick melted all that much more. He was putty in her paw and she knew it.

"You are pure evil," he said with a frown that quickly turned into his regular smirk. "I'm game."

"Good." She started in the direction of the barn and Nick trailed closely after, periodically breathing into his paws for an iota of warm comfort.

With his focus narrowed Nick was able to observe more of the backyard. They had exited from the rear of the hill shaped burrow and had emerged in a yard not too unusually sized considering the maximum occupancy of the Hopps compound. Green grass stretched all the way to a sizable red barn where it stopped at a dirt patch that trailed into a path leading to the front of the home.

'Probably where they keep the truck,' he thought.

The lawn had various assortments of picnic tables and lawn chairs strewn across it with a few children's amenities like sandboxes and swing sets sporadically placed in seemingly no particular order. Despite the ample amount of youngster Hopps' Nick had seen around the house, the lawn was impeccably groomed without a stray toy in sight, another testament to the respect Mr. and Mrs. Hopps commanded through the family.

Despite his newer motivation of "afternoon delight" with Judy, Nick couldn't help but bemoan the weather just a smidgen more as they walked.

"If I would have known it would be this chilly I would have packed a scarf."

"You don't like the cold?" Judy cocked her head with affirmation and answered her own question. "Come to think of it, we haven't spent the winter together yet. And you never did like the patrols through Tundra Town."

"That's because my winter coat hasn't come in yet." His brow furrowed and his form slumped. If his arms had been long enough he would have dragged his knuckle across the ground. "Trust me, winter is a pain for most foxes."

Judy spun around with a leap. Keen interest lit up her eyes and she curled her paws to her chest with excitement.

"That's right! You'll get fluffy during the colder seasons!" She squealed in delight. "That's going to be so much fun!" When Nicks sullen expression refused to change Judy put her paws on her hips. "I wouldn't think it's all that bad. You've survived it this long."

Nick threw up his arms. "That's because some of us hibernate, Carrots."

"Come on Nick, animals evolved out of the habit thousands if not millions of years ago! You can't possibly be that lazy."

He smiled. "Don't underestimate me."

Judy rolled her eyes and moved to the barn. She walked to a side door, throwing her voice over her shoulder, "I can't wait till you get all floofy. It's going to make for some very interesting nights." She winked and walked around the open door.

Nick halted again in his tracks this time with a healthy sheen of blush working its way under his fur. Judy was certainly staking her claim today. Normally she wasn't this flirtatious even when they were at Nicks apartment. He chocked it up to her "creativity" being stifled being around her family. It needed to get out somehow.

He followed after her around the door calling out.

"That's strike two Carrots! One more and I'll have to-" He raised his eyes to see Judy standing by an older rabbit working on an engine suspended by chains and they both looked up to greet the fox.

"Have to what," said the rabbit with a no nonsense expression.

Nicks mouth hung open unable to find the words to cover his mishap. After a period of silence the rabbit saw that his cold stare was getting him nowhere so he returned to cranking a socket wrench on a loose bolt. Nick clasped his paws behind his back and meandered over to the machinery to try and smooth over his greeting with initiative.

The fox looked over hunk of metal and snapped a finger. "Ah, I see what your problem is here."

The rabbit looked up from his work and rubbed between his eyes. When a punchline didn't come the rabbit tapped his finger against the toolbox at his side with waning patience.

"Well?" he said waiting.

Nick smirked. "There's no tractor around it." He waved around the engine with an open paw.

His audience scoffed, unaffected by the attempt at humor.

"What gave you that idea, genius?" He didn't wait for a response and resumed tooling the bolt with an audible crank.

Nick dropped his smile and looked to Judy with a wondering twist in his brow. He nudged his head in the sullen rabbits direction and Judy shook her head in confused silence. She stood back measuring the situation and determining a point to step in.

Nick cleared his throat. "Sorry. I don't mean to get off on the wrong foot-"

"No wrong here," he cut him off. "I just don't like you."

"Well, I don't know where you get off-"

The rabbit stood abruptly stopping the words from the fox's mouth with his towering height. He was taller than Nick, about a head and a half taller, a trait uncharacteristic of any bunny the fox had encountered up to this point. His light brown fur darkened around his mouth and eyes and he wore denim overalls over a red flannel shirt. Nick would've described his overall face as husky; Not like Stus, but strange for a rabbit of his build, thin but lean, and again very tall.

The vulpine leaned back and scanned upwards at the specimen before him, instinctively shoving his paws in his pockets. A low whistle escaped his lips.

"What in the heck do they feed you?"

"You're a kidder," he pointed the ratchet at the fox, "I've gathered that. But you come in here with your little jokes and you think I'm gonna let you walk all over me you're wrong."

Nick dead panned. "It'd be hard for anyone to walk over you, Gigantor."

His scowl deepened as if that were even possible and he looked past the fox to the other rabbit in the vicinity. "Judy who is this clown?"

Seeing that pleasantries were getting nowhere with these two Judy decided to interject at the beckon.

"Now boys," she started with a light tone,"don't start getting all uppity on my account. It's not flattering on either of you." She came to a stop by Nick and placed a paw behind his arm. "This is my partner on the force, Nick. Mom and dad told you about him didn't they?"

The rabbit harrumphed and Judy took that as her cue to continue. Looking to Nick she said, "Nick this is my older brother, Alex."

"He's a real charmer, your brother," he said not dialing back his tone in consideration of present company.

"Don't take it personally. Alex is very protective of his younger siblings and kind of a salt pillar. Isn't that right Alex?"

Alex ignored her comment and wiped away some stray sludge from the metal. Judy nodded as if he had responded and moved with Nick to the back part of the barn. It was walled off to be a sort of workshop with cork boards nailed to the walls and various tools hanging from them. Judy sorted through a shelf on the far wall littered with piles of junk shelved for what seemed be no other reason then to be out of the way. Nick stood by the workbench on the inner wall. He fiddled with various tools mindlessly, unaware of even half of their purposes. Again the thought played off in his head: He was not a farmer.

Judy finally spotted what she was looking. She snapped her fingers and pointed to the top shelf drawing Nicks attention to a stack of round wicker baskets.

"How did your dad even get those up there?" Nick said.

Judy hopped in the air swinging her paws at the baskets but fell short each time, only grasping empty air.

"I don't know," she huffed in between jumps. "Must've asked Alex."

Nick frowned at the mention of his newest acquaintance. He leaned back past the doorframe to see the rabbit in question muttering under his breath and swapping tools from the kit at his feet. He stopped and looked directly at the fox with a glare. Nick blinked in surprise and shook his head before leaning back into his room.

'How did he know i was there?' he thought.

The fox resumed observing his partner attempt valiantly to reach the top shelf and sighed. He walked to the shelf and offered her a boost, readying his paws over his knee. Judy thanked him with a nod and a smile and hoisted herself on to and over the fox. He held her up no problem. Judy barely weighed anything even if she was pure muscle and perseverance. After all she was still a small bunny.

"I don't think I'm going to be on his good side anytime soon," Nick thought out loud. Judy looked downward at the fox.

"You just have to earn his trust, that's all."

"What, do I have to run seven trials like Furcules? I'm pretty sure stealing a Golden Fleece is a hate crime." His eyes lowered down her form and lingered with a smile. "Love the view," he growled lowly.

Judy looked back up and reached the baskets easily with the change in height. She lowered herself down with a backwards somersault off his shoulders and landed in front of the fox.

"Show off."

"You could learn some cool moves like that from me if you tried, Nick."

Nick leaned over his knees till he was at her level. "Oh I've already learned plenty of your moves already," he said coyly. He finished with a soft peck to her nose and Judy curled her cheek in a half smile.

She sighed softly at him. "Just be friendly to him and I'm sure he'll come around."

Nick pursed his lips. "There you go again ruining the moment," he said with mock indignation. "Mean bunny."

She pointed the baskets at him and he held up his paws in surrender. The basket was comically oversized for her smaller frame but she waved it around like it was a pencil with little to no regard for wind resistance.

Her eyes grew steely with a violet fire burning from within them. Her face was still and she didn't so much as curl a lip. The entire display made Nick chill all over again.

"You haven't even seen me mean," she said lowly. And just as quick as it came it left, her expression being replaced by her usual infectious smile. She shoved a basket against Nicks chest and skipped out the door with her words singing behind her. 

"To work, my dear fox." She sang the words and that scared Nick even more. His ears flattened against his head.

'If her family doesn't kill me,' he thought to himself, 'she surely will.' His eyes followed the bouncing tail of Judy and Nicks disposition lightened with the vision of her.

'Worth it,' he thought.

Nick followed sullenly with his tail and the basket dragging behind him. When they passed Alex still working on the broken machinery Judy gave him a pat on the shoulder and he grumbled, then she skipped out the door with her basket. The fox passed him without a word from either of them, and that sat well with Nick.

Nick gave one last look past the door to the muddy colored rabbit only to find him staring right back with his brow contorted in obvious disdain. He pointed two fingers from his eyes to the fox in an "I'm watching you" move and the fox pulled up his best smirk and a thumbs up. Alex grumbled again and Nick left wondering when they're next clash would be. These sort of things were inevitable to the fox. It was only a matter of time.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're introduced to Alex! Keep him in mind, I kinda like him.


	14. Learn How to Rabbit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part two of day one! Maybe one or two more of these left in me! These days are long and full of spiders! ....I think. I forget where I put the spiders. Let me know if you find them!

\---

"So what is this, some kind of corn shucker?" Nick said holding up a random tool.

"Nick that's a claw hammer put that down." She moved to eye some more of the plants in front of them but stopped and looked back at the fox. "Where did you even get that?"

The fox shrugged.

"I dunno," he deadpanned.

Judy quickly swiped the tool from his paw before the poor dear hurt himself and stowed it in her back pocket. "No more distractions," she said planting her paws on her hips. "It's time to learn you how to rabbit."

Nick raised a brow. "Learn me how to rabbit?" he parroted almost mocking at her nomenclature.

They were standing in the middle of the fields. Judy had elected to start Nick off with the blueberry bushes as it would have at least captured his attention if only for a moment. She started them at the far edge of the said section so they could work their way back towards the house. It made more sense in the long run to move towards home to which Nick promptly agreed. Convenience was just another word for shortcut to the fox, and Judy promptly pointed an accusing finger at his prior snickering. 

"If I know you like I do, and let's face it I do, I know you're already planning a hair-brained scheme to get out of work." The bunny shook her finger again. "It won't work. There's no cutting corners on a farm. You do your piece or someone ends up dead."

Nicks eyes widened ever so slightly at the chill his better half had injected into that final word and Judy couldn't help but smile at his reaction.

"Okay, maybe not dead," she rolled her wrist and her eyes in tandem, "but we could lose a haul and that's just as bad!"

Judy walked over to the bushels and readied the basket at her feet.

"So you're going to follow my lessons to the letter." The rigidity of her pose solidified to its fullest in an attempt to make her stature more imposing. It worked in a sense and Judy felt another inkling of control return to her body. "You're in my bootcamp now."

She turned back to Nick to find him looking back and forth in between her and the bushes and the basket. It was like she booted his stroller all over again, and for tax evasion no less! Now she was taking her farmer title too seriously, Nick thought playfully. He threw his open paws out to his sides. 

"Really, Carrots? I like blueberries as much as the next mammal but...they're just fruit," he said tapering off with a chuckle.

His attempt to alleviate some of the seriousness on Judy's perfect muzzle fell on deaf rabbit ears, and Judy crossed her arms, thoroughly unimpressed. When she didn't answer, Nick elected to at least give the exercise a try and learn through experience. 

He approached a few steps to the bushel at Judys side and looked to her questioningly. She cocked her head at the berries and he gulped. She might have accused him of plotting but it was apparent she had a plan cooking all along.

"I take it we pick them all by paw then?" He was almost afraid of the answer.

She nodded and silently kicked the basket over to him. He accepted it and nudged it around with his footpaw with inquisitive observation. 

"Fascinating," he said rubbing his chin. "And you manage to pick every field without dying of exhaustion?"

Still her visage held resolute without so much as a cute giggle.

'She must really take this seriously,' he thought. It really was a wonder why Judy hadn't just become a farmer or even an astronaut if she handled everything with the same tenacity as she did. She could be making beaucoup bucks with that cold stare. 

Nick eyed the greenery before him and saw the dark blue orbs that littered it's area. With one last look to his partner, and a nonchalant wave from her, Nick reached for the azure treat. Before he even skimmed the space of the shrub his paw was struck with a light "konk" from the wooden handle of a claw hammer.

"Yeow!" Nick jerked his paw away and whipped his eyes in the direction of his bunny only to see her standing as still as she was before. All was as it had been except for the wooden rod held behind in Judy's paw. The tricksy rabbit had unscrewed the head of the hammer and was now left with a sizable swatting stick. And she had moved so fast Nick hadn't even seen it. 

She blinked at him. "Yer dead, foxtrot."

Nick rubbed at his stinging paw and kept his eyes glued to the rabbit before him. His brain was playfully toying with the allegiance between himself and Judy, switching from lover to adversary and everything in between.

"Seriously!? You're going drill sergeant on me?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "It worked for me. The academy whipped you in to shape. I figure Friedkin was on to something."

"Yeah, but with a stick!?"

Again the bunny shrugged. "How else are you going to learn?"

Nick groaned up at the air. "I don't know, maybe you could just learn me how to rabbit!"

Judy smiled and rocked back and forth on her footpaws.

"True. But this is more fun."

The fox narrowed his eyes and pointed his finger, trembling with the dull pain and bubbling disdain. 

"Evil. Pure. Evil."

Judy used the stick to push his finger out of the way and pointed it back at the bush.

"Try again Slick. Maybe this time you'll get it right."

Nick's eyes turned to slits and his frown deepened. Her face twisted into the same cheery smile she donned when she was challenged to break her ticket record for parking duty and Nicks ears flattened in a worried wince. With nowhere else to go he reached for the bush and was again met with a light swat to the top of his paw.

"Yer dead, Foxy Loxy."

"Gah!"

\---

Nick had never in his life heard so many permutations of the word "fox".

The weather did indeed warm up, but Nick couldn't decide if that was from the temperature change or the blood throbbing through his haggard knuckles. Judy hadn't broken the skin or even left a bruise, but the constant mosquito bites from her stick were enough to cause the fox to lose feeling after multiple swats. At the very least he was learning how to not get hit. Nick found the best way to pick berries was to not touch them at all or even stand near the bushes. Then he couldn't do anything wrong. It was a temporary fix.

After about half an hour Judy relinquished her discipline stick and did indeed teach Nick the optimal way to harvest the fruit properly. When he figured her murderous rage had subsided, the fox would playfully rib at Judy throughout the day with many a farmer joke and shenanigans galore. This was compounded with his constant swiping of blueberries for his own personal consumption. It was only after a threat to visit "Judy's school of hard knocks" again did he concede his berry thieving.

As time dragged on Judy proved to be correct. The chill had dispersed not but an hour into the day with the sun raising high in the sky. They worked tirelessly, breaking periodically for sweet tea and sandwiches prepared by Bonnie and some of the other bunnies. Overall the day was uneventful, plain, and normal, something that both Nick and Judy cherished gratefully in the presence of their partner.

After returning to work they were met with the arrival of Alex, cheerful as ever. Judy caught sight of him and stowed the berries she had just picked and turned to greet her brother. He offered her a bottled water and she accepted with a nod, hastily unscrewing the cap and downing a few sips. Reluctantly he tossed another bottle to Nick.

The bottle clattered through the dirt rolled to a stop at his knee and Nick stood from his spot on the ground and dusted his paws on his jeans. He picked up the now grime laden bottle and quirked his cheek at the dark tan rabbit.

"I take it manners were the one thing that you lost in the experiments that gave you your sunny personality."

Alex ignored the comment and cocked his head at the fox. "He giving you trouble?"

Judy frowned. "No Alex, go easy on him. He's one of the good ones."

Her brother grumbled and moved to the baskets of berries, inspecting the lot of them. Nick reasoned he was just looking for another excuse to get under the fox's fur and decided an olive branch was in order; If not from the rabbit then at least from the fox, as strange as that sounded in the former con-artists head.

"You know," Nick started, taking a step toward the large rabbit, "you seem like a well put together guy. I don't see any reason why we can't get along, at least for the weekend." He took a sip from bottle and fumbled his tongue as a grain of sand got stuck on it. "I'll be out of your hair before you know it. Whaddya say?" He extended his paw, welcoming any sign that he got through to him.

"You got another thing comin' if you think that's gonna change." Alex said matter-of-factly. "I don't need to be friends with a shifty fox."

Nicks paw closed and his other gripped around the plastic. He threw his head back, raising his voice to the sky.

"Okay, we're breaking out the f-word then?" He pointed. "You know a fox can call another fox shifty, but if someone else says it--"

Judy came up in front of Nick and started pushing him out of the way in a panic. The situation was devolving exceptionally quick and not in a way that was acceptable, if that was even possible with these two.

"Alrighty!" she interjected. "This was fun we should do it again! Alex you can handle the baskets right, cool thanks bye!" When pushing didn't seem sufficient enough to budge her fox she grabbed him by the paw and guided him away. Nick looked back and spit out his tongue in a final hurrah before sight was lost on the sterner sibling.

The entire walk back was made in silence from the fox and with Judy's sporadic comments on both Alex's unacceptable disposition and Nicks course of action in dealing with the crotchety buck. 

It wasn't his fault, Nick thought. Some mammals just couldn't be bought, bargained with, or charmed. As cynical as it was to think it, some battles you just couldn't win.

After crossing a few rows and making it back to the house they were a fair distance away from the heated argument that might have been. When they stopped, Nick let out a bated breath and finally spoke up.

"Is it me?" he said with a dramatic paw pointing to his chest. "I don't think it's me."

Judy dragged her paw down the side of her face. Her brother having it out for her secret boyfriend was not something she had expected or looked forward to. This was only another drop of fuel on the flame.

When she still hadn't said anything Nicks expression softened and the doubt began to seep in. Maybe he had been hasty in his response. Maybe he had overstepped.

"It wasn't me, was it?"

Judy looked up and saw the reserved feel in his eyes. She could tell he was considering all avenues, that it might have been his fault. That in some way he unintentionally stepped on toes he didn't know we're there. And if there was one thing Nick was afraid of, it was hurting Judy, even if it was indirectly. Especially if it was indirectly. She sighed heavily.

"No. I mean, you weren't in the wrong for acting how you did." She ran a paw over her ears, smoothing them back. "I don't know what's gotten into him. Even Dad wasn't this close minded."

Nick slipped his paws in his pockets and tried to take interest in the dirt at his feet. He knew it was becoming easier for Judy to read him with all the time they spent together. Aside from that, Nick was making a concentrated effort to open up to her more. But he hated seeing her concerned because of him.

"Does he give all of the boys that your mom sends after you a hard time, or is it just the foxes?" He looked up at her and cracked a smile, more for her benefit than his.

Growing up with him, Alex had always been protective of his siblings. Him being the biggest it was natural for him to form a sort of paternal instinct of the smaller prey species that made up his family. When mom and dad didn't supply enough attention, as parents with 275 children was bound to happen, Alex stepped in as muscle. No one bothered the Hopps' when he was involved. Judy was sure if he had heard of the incident with Gideon long ago that the tubby fox wouldn't have survived long enough to open his bakery.

She sighed inwardly. "I'm sure he's just being overprotective. You have to understand, there's still a fair bit of prejudice in the country. Not everyone is as well adjusted as I am."

Nick let out a long breath. She was right, as usual. If the city progress where anyone could be anything still had a few backwards roads, the countryside where wifi seemed to be as rare as gold would undoubtedly hold its share of backwards logic. And with the amount of bunnies living in the area, reason stated there would at least be one bad apple in the bunch.

"Were you guys always this close?" he said with evident sarcasm. 

When she didn't say anything Nick shifted in place. He noticed all the telltale signs of a sullen bunny: the droopy ears, the distant gaze, rubbing of ones arms; it was all Nick needed to know that it wasn't just him that was the damaged party.

"How are you holding up?" he offered trying to light a spark behind Judy's eyes. "I noticed this morning that you didn't sleep well even though you said you did." He leaned over with a half lidded expression as a slight smile began creeping back on to his muzzle.

"You little liar. I'm so proud of you." A dash of lighthearted ribbing was sure to flip a switch somewhere in that bunny noggin of hers.

Judy flexed a smile but Nick saw right through it. She shrugged lightly and averted his gaze. Nick cocked his head to the side and his ear hung as he was lost in thought for a moment, unsure how to proceed. A lightbulb when off in his head and he grabbed her paw and started pulling her towards the house.

"Nick, where are we going?"

"To your room. I recognize that look, and you need to unwind."

She looked back to the field, growing further and further away. "What about the haul?"

"274 other bunnies in this burrow. I'm sure they can handle this on their own."

"What're you planning, Nick?" Judy asked.

He shot back with his trademark smirk and a daring wink. Judy gulped.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder what Nicks plan is? Ho hum, ho hum;)


	15. Judy's Head Full of Doubt

\---

Lying on her bed with the door locked, Judy moaned softly to her fox's touch. She was careful to keep her voice low as to not alert the others in her family, but with each soft caress of Nick's fingers a wave of pleasure coursed through her body. He was attentive and the contact was electric.

"How's my little honeybun doing? Better?" Nick whispered over her shoulder with a growl and the warmth of his breath teased her ear.

She whined quietly, her voice laced with the desire of him. 

"Harder," she demanded.

Nicks eyes flashed devilishly and he obliged her. "I like it when you get bossy."

The fox continued his back massage and the bunny wriggled under his grasp. He kneaded his knuckles over and inwards to her spine, lessening the tension as best he could. Judy groaned happily at his technique.

Nick adjusted himself on his knees from his spot straddling Judy's legs. He leaned over her again.

"You know this would feel much better and be easier for me if you took off your shirt," he said slipping a seductive whisper in to his voice.

"Nuh uh," Judy grunted. "I lose my shirt around you all bets are off."

'Though if he keeps up with that magic touch,' she thought, 'mmmm maybe later.'

The fox moved his palms up to her shoulders and raked his claws lightly through the fur along her neck. "You're really tense, fluff. Wanna talk about it?"

With the way he offered such a selfless tension releasing exercise, and how excellent he actually was at performing said feat, Judy almost had forgotten why she was tense in the first place; what ailed her thoughts that day. And when Nicks paws crested under her shoulder blades Judy wanted nothing more than to bury her face in the pillow and just let her fox go to town on her. Release all of the tension, and not just the stress in her back; forget everything that was on her mind for just a little longer. But Judy wasn't like that. Nick wasn't like that. Not anymore. They talked when they felt blue. This was one such moment.

"I miss this," she sighed laying into the crease of her elbows crossed in front of her.

"I know my technique is mesmerizing but it's only been one day, Carrots."

"Yeah but..." She stopped to groan into her pillow. It was almost a growl the way her voice crested through the muffled cloth. Nick shook his head in gratification.

"....but?" he continued.

Judy flipped over so she was laying on her back. She looked him in the eye and swam in those deep emerald pools, admiring him for everything he meant to her. She would talk to him. Now. 

"Last night," she swept her paw across the mattress feeling the ripple of the comforters checkered pattern, "the bed felt cold without you."

Nick perked a brow and would have made a joke had he not seen the seriousness in Judy's eye. She continued.

"You always hear stories of animals going home and everything's exactly as they left it. And for the most part they're right." She sat up and waved across the room. "It's all exactly as I remember." She smiled a little, losing herself in her memories. She pointed across the room to the simple wooden desk, cracked in some places. It was obvious that someone had gotten their money's worth out of it.

"I sat at that desk almost every day drawing pictures of police officers or reading books about the law. I can still see the marks in the wood where I scratched it with my pencil." Nick smiled at her recollection. A hint of joy had rendered in her visage and that in turn gave him a warm fuzzy inside. It stopped when her expression fell.

"But when I tried to sleep last night I couldn't help but feel something was missing." She laid back down on the bed with a soft 'whump'. "And I'm exhausted."

Nick swung his legs over the edge and scooted further up the bed till he was sitting right next to Judy.

"What's missing do you think?" he asked with an inquisitive paw hammering his question home. He winced quietly at his internal wordplay and rotated his bruised wrist. 'Ow,' he thought.

Judy lulled her head to the side and stared out the window. It's curtains flowed lightly with the breeze from the open air and its pattern entranced the bunny. As she spoke she watched the ornate lines dance to and fro.

"Whenever we talk at night, even when we're not together I can drift away happily with your voice in my head. I sleep like a kit. Even better when I have you here," Judys paw inched over the fox's pant leg and squeezed lightly, "close to me."

Nick nodded and laid down facing her, his eyes trained intently on her voice. He let his paw stroke thoughtfully across her arm while his other entwined with the paw at her side. She accepted his presence gratefully and his proximity allowed his scent to wash over her, dulling the edge of gloom that crested within her. Judy turned to face him and breathed him in.

"But last night, even with you being there for the moment I couldn't help but think about you here by yourself, and how much I needed you next to me." Her ears began to burn and her thoughts caught fire.

"I'm here now. With you." Nick smiled, but it didn't seem to faze her.

"But for how long? How long before my parents find out? And what will they think? Alex already hates you, and for no other reason than you being a fox! What will happen when they find out we're together? What about everyone at work? If Bogo finds out he might set us with different partners," tears threatened the corners of her eyes, "and I don't want anyone else at my side."

"How long before some whack job sees us on the street and throws a brick at us for being freaks?"

As she said this, Nicks paw had found its way to her cheek and his thumb wiped carefully at her eyes. Judy sniffled softly into it, trying to keep herself from cracking, but it was hard to muster enough courage when she was already pouring out so much.

"Is that what you think we are," he said quietly observing her reaction. "Freaks?"

Judy's eyes widened and she grasped both of his paws in hers.

"No! I love you more than anything in the world. I can't imagine existing without you." Her voice broke with a sob. "I'm just so scared Nick. I don't want anything to come between us, let alone everyone we know." Her tears flowed freely down the side of her face and she tried frantically to shirk them but she couldn't.

"I don't want them to take you away from me."

It wasn't fair to her. It wasn't fair that people would look down on a bunny that paired with a predator. How already there was evidence that her family might see this as her step too far for them. It wasn't fair how she had fallen in love with such a cheeky, wonderful fox who treated her with the sappiest, most bumble footed, well meaning romantic desire in the world and there were animals that might want take that away from them.

Judy opened her eyes only to see that same fox smiling back at her. Why was he smiling? She had just bared her doubts before him and they were ugly and all too real. So why did he have that stupid smirk on his face?

Judy wiped her nose and managed to stutter out.

"What?"

Nick pulled her closer till her head was touching his. He kissed her lightly on the cheek, still smiling.

"You're just so....you," he said.

Her eyes still wet with tears hardened at the vague statement. Nick saw the irritation bubbling up and worry crinkled slightly on his cheeks, but he persisted.

"Let me put it like this: what did you do when you flubbed that interview after the Night-Howler case?"

She softened and Judy searched the recesses of her mind back to that time.

"I quit. Because I hurt you."

Nick smiled and jostled his head. 

"And? As much as I'd like to make this about me, this is about you Carrots."

Judy thought harder and when her mind sparked she looked back to him.

"Because everyone was upset about the savage animals."

"Right." He again thumbed away the wetness from her cheeks. "And you ran back home with your fuzzy wittle tail between your legs."

"Nick I don't see how this is supposed to--"

"And," he cut her off, "when you cooled down, what did you realize?"

She furrowed her brow in thought. After a second she answered.

"It wasn't all that cut and dry." The spark grew and something new flashed in her mind. Nick recognized it and continued.

"Everything wasn't so simple. It's not now either. So what if you're parents disapprove? You're still their daughter and they'll still love you. If they can't work a stick out of they're butt we did great before them, we'll endure after. And the department? We've got friends there that know us. Even if they split us up we'll still keep our jobs and be officers together."

"And sure, there are a couple of crazies that might think we're strange, but then again they've never met us. And I don't know about you, but I feel exceptionally safe when I'm with you."

"As for everyone else the world is always changing. If it doesn't catch up we'll give it the kick in the rear to get it started. It'll start with us. If something as crazy as animals going savage can blow over, who says a fox can't love bunny?"

He breathed in through his nose and locked his eyes with hers.

"You are right though," he said. "We can't expect everything to work itself out. But I know we can face whatever the world throws at us, together."

Judy's eyes widened and Nick pulled her against his chest. He smoothed her ears back and held her head with care. She could feel his heart beat against her, how rhythmic and calm it sounded. It was the most sincere he had ever sounded to the bunny. Soon Judy's breaths began to match his hearts pace and eventually the tears stopped altogether. Nick felt the shudder leave her body and he continued to run his paw over her head lovingly.

"I'm not going anywhere, Judy. I'm with you to the end."

He held her there against him and Judy felt like she was going to break down all over again. Here he was, this charming, lovable fox that was proving everyday that he was more than just a pretty face. He dragged her back from the brink all over again.

Judy crawled herself up from his chest and closed in to her fox with a kiss, a kiss that told him everything he needed to know he got through to her. When she finally broke away, she held him close against her head and she sputtered a quiet laugh.

"You're perfect for me," she said.

Nick smiled wider. "Far be it from me to reject a compliment from a beautiful bunny."

She kissed him again and pulled him in to a hug and they held each other there, unwilling to let the other escape even for a second.

"I love you, Nick. I love you so much."

"I know you do. Why do you think I stick around?"

Judy nuzzled into the crook of his neck, letting the down fur tickle her nose.

"Because you love me too," she said.

"Guilty. I'm in love with a wonderful, selfless bunny. And she's perfect in every way."

They let the moments pass them by, comfortable in their lovers arms. The world could allow them a little more time for now. Judy let her thoughts linger forward but this time they didn't hurt as much.

She smiled dreamily. "I'm still going to miss you tonight."

Nick blinked with his own smile pointed at the ceiling. "It's only for a couple more days, Carrots."

Judy knew that, and she didn't like it but she would wait. Her fox would be right there, the light at the end of the tunnel. The bunny slung herself over Nicks chest and laid her head there, her eyes aimed at his. There was no better opportunity to ask, now just felt right. So she poised herself on the platform and leapt.

"When we get back, if it's alright with you I mean, I want to," she blinked slowly and licked her lips as the words formed on her tongue, "I want to move in with you."

Nick looked down his form to Judy's gleaming eyes. He couldn't tell if she was pulling a cute bunny face to tip the odds in her favor or if that was just her natural beauty about her, and he didn't care. Every second he looked at her only confirmed what he wanted to say in that moment.

Nick scratched at his chin thoughtfully, and his eyes wandered skyward.

"Hmm." He hummed a little longer, reveling in the suspense he was keeping his bunny in. "Only if we can share a bed." Judy's eyes lit like violet candles and the fox grinned. "I like having my honeybun close to keep me warm at night."

Judy sat her chin on his chest with her paws flattened next to it. Her ears perked with a barely contained smile

"You mean it?"

Nick nodded. "Of course I do. Truth be told I was wondering how to ask you the same thing."

She wiggled her way across him and met his muzzle with hers in another deep kiss. Her ears flattened and she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"Silly fox. You couldn't move into my place, It's too small."

"Well duh. Of course we'd have to live at mine. I have the bigger TV."

Judy sighed into his neck as he stroked up and down her back. She was right in her assertion: he was perfect for her.

"Just when I think you can't surprise me anymore," she whispered.

"Speak for yourself, Carrots. You're full of surprises."

With the news, Judy definitely wasn't going anywhere from her fox now. She was too happy to not spend more time with him. She was so happy she could kiss him again. So she did.

Then the shirt came off.

Work could wait.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehehehe ;)
> 
> Oh! And I am belaying the first day chapter titles. It doesn't make sense to have a first day part 5. That's just too much. So I'm renaming those eventually. I'm letting y'all know Just so everyone is aware when I do start changing them that there's no confusions.
> 
> But how about that? You guys like fluff don'tcha?


	16. Afterglow

\---

The fox and bunny returned to their duties about an hour later with smiles so bright the sun might get jealous. After their "afternoon delight", and a healthy dose of scent blocker for curious onlookers, Nick and Judy swiftly and quietly absconded from Judy's room and back to the outside world. All the way back to the fields they jabbed and sniped at each other, laughing and playfully snickering at just about anything they wanted to talk about. It didn't matter what they spoke about, they were content to do anything as long as it was with each other.

As Nick had hoped, no one had seemed to pick up their absence from the fields for the day and Judy noticed everything was running business as usual. In their extended absence the day had stretched on with the sun contemplating retiring for the night. Stu had returned from his work in town and was busying himself with crating the various assortment of fruits and vegetables in the bed of the pickup. That's where Nick and Judy found him, with a lack of the younger kits assisting as he marked off inventory on a clipboard. Among the rabbits was June, and Judy waved to her. June reciprocated with a nod, her paws occupied with the boxes.

"Good haul?" Judy remarked to the growing stack of boxes in the truck bed.

Stu ticked another box and stowed his pencil in his shirt pocket.

"Perfectly measured. We've just enough to supply the stall and support a few other activities for the festival." He clasped his paws around the clipboard when he felt the cold nip in the air. The night was fast approaching and with it came the temperature drop. Stu smiled as the breeze swept over his face and he breathed it in before turning back to his daughter.

"I think its high time we celebrated with a piping hot cup of cider, Jude the Dude. Whaddya say, you and Nick up for it?"

Judy nodded and turned to the fox in affirmation only to find him missing again. She looked this way and that and her ears perked when she heard her fox's voice past truck out of sight.

"Sounds great dad. I'll let him know. I'm sure he'll be thrilled."

Judy rounded the pickup to the front of the barn and found Nick sat on an old barrel looking over a group of the younger Hopps family, regaling them with an all too likely fabricated story. He swung his arms, emulating whatever character he wished to convey to the kits and they observed him intently, eyes glued to him in amazement. She had to admit Nick had a way with the kits. They seemed to enjoy his stories whether they were true or not. Sometimes Judy herself struggled to tell the difference. But what she could recognize was that his trademark wit and charm served him well when dealing with younger animals. She'd seen it on the force, but seeing him cause the faces of her younger siblings and cousins to brighten made Judy feel an overwhelming contentment towards her fox.

"So there I was," he said eyes set aflame in the moment, "faced with the Dread Pirate Robert when suddenly-"

"Nick," Judy cut in, "quit telling tall tales and get over here."

"Spoilsport," he muttered with a cheery smile in her direction. He turned back to the younglings and sighed with only light disappointment. "You heard her kids, shows over."

The majority groaned and complained but eventually they cleared with some encouragement from Nick, leaving the fox alone with the secret object of his affection. Nick bounded over to her with cheer and even added a jumping heel click before he landed at her feet. He bowed extravagantly with his paw flicked up and a knee bent in mock honor.

"How may I serve thee, my liege?"

Even if their private time from earlier was mostly for her benefit, Nick was certainly no less thrilled after a little "R&R". Still, Judy was happy to see him sunny and vibrant so she rolled her eyes and played along.

"Rise Sir Fox, for thou hast served me well." She searched for the words to continue the charade but dropped it. Nick obliged her and stood to his feet and Judy cocked her head towards the house. "Dads got cider back at the house for a job well done. Care to join us?"

Nick licked his lips at the mention of a tart beverage. "You bunnies and your work ethic." He straightened his shirt and donned his usual smirk.

"I'll never say no to a warm, sweet drink," he said looking her up from fluffy toes to perky ears, "but you and I didn't put forth a lot of effort today." He clasped his paws behind him and leaned past her ear, whispering haughtily. "We were busy with another practice bunnies are known for."

Judy's eyes fluttered at the closeness of his breath and she giggled. Her paws curled unconsciously against her lap as the recent memory and lingering physical symptoms still tingled around her body.

"Multiplying," she answered for him.

The vulpine's smile grew into a grin at her reaction and he straightened his posture.

"Now, you wouldn't be reaping the rewards of a job handled by others would you? You didn't even put in the work to hustle them around it." He shook his head and looked to the side with his eyes half lidding before tracing back to her. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but that just seems so...dishonest."

Judy took a step toward the fox and he wiggled his body in preparation for whatever she was planning. She dragged a finger from his neck and under his jaw, and he tried to hide the shiver that ran all the way through to his tail.

"Well, you did say you'd make a fox out of me yet." She tapped his chin up and he clicked his mouth shut. "Besides, they had it under control. I doubt they even knew we were gone."

Judy planted her paws on him and looked at his shirt. She again remembered the contrast her father had pointed out earlier that morning and smiled as she smoothed out the wrinkles. 

"You know," she said unfurling his collar which had wrapped in on itself, "you'd make a pretty handsome bunny."

"Am I not a handsome fox?" Nick wagged his eyebrows eliciting a chuckle from the bunny.

The comparison of species was not lost on her, and once again her mind lingered on thoughts of familial rejection. But the glow from their coupling still outshone those doubts whether it be from a hormone induced euphoria or a growing spike of affection, and instead of dwell on it Judy smiled brighter at her fox, loving him all the more for his many wonderful differences from any old buck.

"Don't worry. You're perfect just the way you are."

The warmth in her chest permeated around them and Judy took a move away from him before she really overstepped the perceived boundaries set between them. Nick recognized her intention and his face soured slightly but he resumed his smile when Judy held her proud expression.

"I see that you made a couple of friends." Her and Nick looked back to the smattering of kits shuffling back towards the house, clouding around Mr. Hopps. The older rabbit rubbed some of the shorter heads as they periodically leaped around him and eventually they disappeared into the household.

Finally alone, Judy wrapped her paws in Nicks and they both brightened noticeably as they let themselves hang there.

"I think you'd make a pretty good dad," she said.

Nick hunched his shoulders in a bashful snicker and Judy's paw covered her mouth at the sight of him. It was rare for her to tell when he blushed due in part to his red fur, but mostly thanks to his years perfecting the impervious mask of feelings he wore in public. To see him pleasingly flustered made Judy want to commit that look to memory forever.

He laughed through his teeth in a tight smile.

"Oh well, you know..." He lost his words and looked to the dirt beneath them, twirling his toe a little in the ground. "You sure know how to butter me up, Carrots."

Judy thought back to their conversation earlier in the week and she shrugged leaning her head on her shoulder. Her ears drooped adorably as she herself melted a little in thought.

"You said you wanted kits right?" she posed with a creep of blush forming under her ears.

Nicks eyes widened and a smile flexed on and off of his muzzle as he realized what she was asking him.

"I uh, yeah. Maybe not right now, but one or two of the rascals eventually."

Judy swung their paws about and brought them back to her. She pressed his paw against her chest and he could feel her heart beating steadily so he could tell her next words were genuine.

"Maybe not now," she said with a testing tone replete with warmth, "but...I think I could come around to the idea of parenthood in the future."

"You and me," she looked up and batted her eyelashes making Nick gulp back his welling emotions, "and our kit, curled up by the fireplace on the holidays. Late nights taking care of him when he cries. You teaching him how to be a good mammal."

"Him?" Nick grinned.

"I would think we might have a son. A handsome young fox just like his father. Then you'll finally have someone you can do all of those father-son activities with."

Nick wrapped his arms around her neck and pulled her closer. His move surprised Judy at first but she soon surrendered under his loving touch and pressed firmly against him. When she was sufficiently snuggled into Nicks chest amidst the chilling weather he slipped his paws down to her hips and they rocked back and forth to a silent song that played between them.

"I think I would actually like a daughter," he whispered lowly. "She would have her mothers beautiful eyes. Be strong and confident like her." He cocked his head. "And probably have your temperament too."

Judy jabbed lightly at his shoulder and Nick chuckled soundlessly. After a few more moments of their silent dance the stars began peeking out from the blanket of night. Nick pressed his head against hers. The moment seemed so perfect, he had to make sure sure she was being honest.

"You mean it?" he asked quietly. "You really want to..."

"One day," she answered planting a soft kiss on his cheek. "With you."

He leaned forward and rubbed his cheek down the side of her head and she nuzzled into him gratefully. Nicks voice wavered as he fought back a tear in his eyes.

"I don't believe you've ever said anything so romantic to me."

"What can I say? I'm full of surprises."

Judy beamed up at him and Nick pulled her lips to his and they closed their eyes. The fox and bunny kissed deeply into one another feeling an acceptance they hadn't felt since they're first night together. It wasn't that he had been afraid of her saying no. Foxes mated for life and Nick would have done anything to make her happy even if it meant giving up on a far flung idea of their future together such as a kit. He would be content with sitting side by side on a porch in the suburbs growing old together. No need for a legacy in a child or anything like that.

But Judy did want that. He could feel it within her. And he wanted to just...love her in a way he couldn't even describe if he had to. He wished he could kiss her again for the first time to show her how he felt in comparison to every moment before now. But Nick was contented enough to smile against her lips, and she followed suit, rubbing her pink nose against his as they parted.

"By the fireplace, huh?" Nick said coming out of his daze. "I don't have one of those."

Judy cocked her head and her amethyst eyes blinked at him half lidded. She was more than happy to want to have his kits, over the moon if she was being honest. She could make a small, lighthearted demand.

"Well you're going to have to get us a new house. We'll need the space in case we have more than one."

Nick returned her gaze not even fazed at the prospect. "Right. Multiplying."

"Right you are." When the moment passed and their emotional high stayed only with a smile and a lingering fluttering of their hearts, Judy clapped his shoulder and dragged his paw with her. "Come on, it's getting chilly out here."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear the next chapter is the last for day one! It's the longest if I'm being honest. It's just a weekend thought! A long one, I think....? I really gotta sort that out at some point. And write more. Crap.


	17. When Night Finally Comes

\---

Stu set a steaming mug in front of Nick. The lot of them were sitting in the kitchen shielded from the ever fluctuating elements of the countryside. Nick thanked him with a nod and blew carefully at the puffs of steam rising from the dark gold liquid.

Stu sat diagonally from the fox and poured a sizable helping of honey into his drink. He was about to stir the mixture when he caught sight of Nicks arm and pointed his spoon.

"What happened to your arm there?"

Nick looked down at the slightly twisted fur on the back of his paw and noticed a few welts on the skin under the red. He tested the paw with a few clenches as he shot a look to the bunny at the counter. Judy bobbed absently to the beat in her head letting the glare go unnoticed as Nick turned back to the older rabbit.

"I uh, dropped a hammer on it." The older bunny perked a brow and lifted the brim of his hat towards the fox. "A couple of times," Nick added.

After a beat Stu bellowed over in laughter. Nick pursed his lips in a taut line at the display and swirled his cup around absently. When stu finally came up for air he was wiping a tear from his eye.

"You really aren't much of a farmer are ya?" he poked lightheartedly.

Nick smiled at his cup and raised his head to look across the table. 

"So wheres this harvest festival i keep hearing? This isn't some complex plan to lure me into a cornfield to rob me of my pelt I hope." He shuddered. "Cornfields freak me out."

From her spot at the counter Judy poured her own cup of cinnamon apple goodness and hummed quietly to herself, happier than Stu and seen her in days. Even if the reasons for her contented chirping escaped him, he was glad to see the subtle shadow over his daughter alleviated.

Judy slid in across from her dad. She sniffed thoughtfully at her cider and took a few experimental sips, nodding when she found the taste to her liking. Nick, ever willing to steal a sigh inducing gaze of his honeybun, observed the twitch of her button nose finding it irresistibly adorable. Not that he would say that out loud in present company lest the pelt comment become a reality.

"It's held every year at the specially built fairgrounds," Judy explained after a hearty sip from her mug. "Before I left for the city they had already started building a bunch of permanent attractions there to doll up for business and special occasions." She began to list the attractions off on her fingers. "They've got roller coasters, carnival games, a tunnel of love." She exaggerated her tone with a thick drawl to her words and waggled her eyebrows at Nick.

Nick chuckled to himself and sipped at his cup. "Now that brings up some ideas."

Stu caught the last words and raised a brow in question.

"What ideas?"

"Oh um," Nick coughed liquid in his mug. The question caught him by surprise and a little cider went up his nose. "I mean, maybe I find me a nice vixen to show me around," he lied through his teeth and focused intently on his drink. "Make me an honest fox."

Stu narrowed his eyes momentarily at the fox before dropping all pretense and resuming his previous attitude.

"Oh I see what you mean." He elbowed the fox like they had been friends for years. "Predator on the prowl am I right?"

Nick blinked at the needlessly corny and tasteless joke but held his tongue. Stu hadn't meant anything by it. He was just trying to be friendly, in a way only a girlfriends dad could be whether he knew about the relationship or not. The universe evened itself out in mysterious ways.

"Yep!" Nick said forcing joviality in his tone. "That's exactly right."

Judy narrowed a frown at Nick, still preoccupied with the vixen comment. Nick knew that look and he quickly shook his head "no" and tried to convey how it was a joke wordlessly in his look. Judy pointed two fingers from her eyes to the fox and he gulped at the insinuation.

Stu beamed proudly. "The fairgrounds should be all set and ready by tomorrow. You can spend the rest of your vacation there if you like. We're all set around the property so there's no more work to be done."

Nick leaned back in his chair. "Less work is always a plus in my book."

Judy punched the fox's shoulder playfully.

"You're not slacking around under my watch, Slick."

Nick chuckled and rubbed at his shoulder.

"I thought we were supposed to be enjoying ourselves tomorrow," he said rhetorically.

Stu leaned back slowly in his chair, a paw placed precariously under his chin in thought.

"Say," he started, narrowing his eyes, "you two are awfully close for partners in ZPD."

A lump formed simultaneously in both Nick and Judy's throat. They both averted their gaze from the other with Nick scratching at the scruff of his neck and Judy twiddling her thumbs against her mug. When the silence became too much it was Judy who piped up first, and Nick held his tongue for whatever travesty that might occur.

"Well, I mean we have to be close. You have to trust your partner with your life and when you trust them as much as we trust each other, you reach a certain point of comfortability around them."

Stu nodded thoughtfully. "I 'spose that's true. But I've never seen coworkers as close as you two, especially with such varying degrees of difference between the two of them." He turned to Nick. "No offense my boy."

"None taken." The fox furrowed his brow. "I think?"

Judy's mind was verging on the panic button but her exterior was cool. She stole a quick sideways glance at Nick and his eyes told her everything she was feeling in that moment too: "I don't know what to do think of something please." A plan formed in her mind. At the very least it would clarify some things out in the open. She took a breath.

"I didn't just bring Nick here because he's my partner, Dad. He's much more than that to me."

"Is he now?" Stu leaned forward with his paws clasped in front of him.

Nicks eyes turned saucer sized and a cold sweat began to bead down his neck. Where was she going with this? Was this the plan, come out to her dad here and now like this? What would his reaction be? Despite his readiness to face whatever result came from "coming out" to her parents, that didn't mean Nick couldn't be nervous about the situation then and there. Nick turned back and eyed the various cutlery sets that were neatly organized along the counter.

'Nah,' he thought to himself. 'You're thinking in wild hypotheticals. He's just a kindly old rabbit that invited you into his house and now you're taking advantage of his hospitality to fritter off with his daughter to make like the bunnies do and mate like crazy under his roof.'

Nick wrinkled his nose in thought.

'Damn it, brain.'

Judy gestured between her and the fox.

"Even before he became my partner me and Nick were close. I always felt a strong bond with him even back when he was a lowly street hustler."

She smiled as the memories came flooding back. Nick telling her off outside Jumbeux's, her booting his baby carriage, all but blackmailing him into solving the case, and the growing respect between the two.

Then her thoughts turned to more recent memory. Her running to him after their fight and confessing their feelings to each other, the endless talks into the night, the restless nights where they became closer than any fox and bunny before them.

Across from them Nick was watching the situation unfold with the fox chewing on his thumb claw. It chipped against his teeth and he frowned at it. How could she be so calm right now? Where was she going with this?

"After he graduated from the academy we became partners and our relationship grew," she continued. "It wasn't all that long before the shooting happened." Her and her father visibly darkened at the memory of that moment.

"But Nick saved my life and kept me safe. After that he helped me get back on my feet. After that I realized what exactly he meant to me."

Judy looked to Nick and saw him sat stiff as a board. She smiled to her fox and nodded with an 'I got this' look. Nick tried to lax his state but kept his mouth shut regardless.

"We aren't just partners dad. We're..."

Both Nick and Stu perked their ears towards the young bunny, rapt with curiosity at her next words but for entirely different reasons. With a final intake of breath they prepared themselves for the words. 

"...best friends."

Nick nearly had an aneurism from the stress. He bit his knuckles and they kept him from releasing a throaty sigh of relief. Stu on the other paw, blinked at her final explanation and cocked his head with a nod.

"Oh. Well that makes sense then." He leaned back and stuck his thumbs through the straps of his overalls. "Honestly I thought you might've been...ah..." He waved away the thought and didn't catch Nicks stifled gasp or Judy's curious look. He checked his watch. 

"Would you look at the time?" He leaned back and looked out the door to the dining room and sure enough it was barren of any signs of life. "I better hit the sack. Got a big day tomorrow at the festival." Stu stood from his chair and started for the door.

"You two best get some shuteye as well. Gotta be bright eyed and bushy tailed if you're gonna have yourselves some fun tomorrow!"

Stu disappeared out the door and a silence fell over the room. After a beat Nick melted in his chair and sighed loudly. Judy merely pursed her lips in thought.

"I'm going to be honest Carrots, I have no idea what your plan was there but it worked." He turned his head from where it lay against the back of his chair. "Papa Hopps is none the wiser. Mission accomplished."

Judy turned her mug in her paw.

"It's weird. For a moment I thought he was going to say he thought we were together."

Nick perked a brow in her direction.

"We haven't exactly been all that subtle around the house. Not to mention the fact of my magnetic personality. I'm surprised none of your sisters have tried to--"

Judy shot him a glare and Nick held up his paws. She returned to her mug and finished the rest of her cider and stared at the empty cup in her paws. Nick noticed her reticence and slid an open paw across the table. She entwined her fingers in his and he squeezed lightly.

"Hey you. What's wrong?"

Judy shook her head and shrugged.

"I just thought for a moment that he might have been okay with us." She looked up to meet his eyes. "I still want to tell him."

Nick quirked his cheeks in a reflexive smile and he slid his chair over to hers. She dropped her ears and leaned into his shoulder as he stroked languidly down her head.

"If you want I can tell him. It would be better if he blew up at me than you." Judy looked up with intense worry and Nick booped her on the nose. "Kidding."

She replaced her head. "It has to be me. He deserves to hear it from me. They both do."

"Don't worry Carrots. I'll be right here when you tell them."

"I know," she said. Judy broke into a yawn and Nick covered his smile.

"You are too cute."

"I know." She was too tired to be mad at him now. Worrying about all of these secrets was exhausting. 

"Come on, sleepyhead. Let's go to bed." He stood her up and they started walking to the stairs. "Separately," he added.

Judy groaned.

\---

After her nightly exchange with Nick, and stealing a few kisses from the fox, Judy had begrudgingly returned to her room on the upper floor and managed to hop into the shower. She had not been looking forward to the isolation that the night provided for her, and as the warm water ran over her form she couldn't help but touch her paw to her lips where Nicks attentive mouth had been only moments before. The press of him was still fresh in her mind but already it was fast fading and the ache in her heart had taken its place.

For a time Judy just stood there, the room filled with the hiss of the shower head and noticing more. No cheerful serenade of the latest Gazelle single from the bunny, not even an absent hum. She quietly let the solace sink into her. Judy closed her arms around herself. She tried to emulate the hug of the fox's arms around her form, imagining the brush of his fur on hers, the musk of his scent, the swish of his tail on her leg, and the way his eyes shone upon her like two emeralds cutting a swath through the loneliness that plagued her. The bunny succeeded only in deepening her want of the missing fox.

She had grown accustomed to Nicks presence and quite fond of the ease it set her at. Everything about him seemed to emanate genuine attraction to the bunny in a way she previously thought impossible when she had met him. But now the thought of his face, his tail, his scent; it drove Judy up the wall at how he wasn't all right here with her.

Judy sighed and turned off the warm water. She stepped into the steamy haze of her private bathroom and meandered to the mirror, not caring of the dripping trail she left in her wake. With a swish she slid her paw across the reflective surface revealing her amethyst eyes staring back at her through the streak. They drooped unconsciously and a frown pulled downward at her muzzle. She tried to force a toothy grin at her image but the weight it carried was too much so it was discarded in haste.

After a much needed toweling Judy brushed her teeth and slipped into her packed nightwear: a pair of lavender sleep shorts and a matching tank top with white polka dots. She hefted herself on her bed with a sigh. While sleep tugged at her eyes, her mind still worked in the absence of a sunnier thought process.

Years ago lounging on her bed with nothing to do Judy would have been content to listen to music, read a book, or stare at the wallpaper. Now, with the sun long since hid beneath the horizon and the clock counting down the dreadful seconds of the night, all she could focus on was what she had dreaded earlier: the cold longing of loneliness.

A few feet below where she lay, annoyingly close she noted, her fox dwelled in the guest room, probably asleep drooling over her grandmothers many quilts. She imagined him there in bed, his tongue lolling out the side of his muzzle, painfully unaware of how ridiculous and adorable he looked. Judy would dance her fingers across his nose until he retracted his tongue and if he woke up in the process she would surprise him with a kiss. From there anything was possible, but not with an empty space at his side.

A few feet of wood and metal was all that separated them. The more she thought on it, the more antsy Judy got. Even with the pep talk Nick had provided, that hadn't stopped her from wanting that fox in her bed.

"Listen to yourself," she murmured and ran her paws down her face. "You sound like a teenager in heat."

But the working side of her brain couldn't halt the thoughts. It wouldn't take much to reach her fox. Judy knew the halls like the back of her paw. It was due to her time as a young kit when she would busy herself with playing traffic duty of the hallways, a job she ironically disdained in her adult life. Not only would she write pretend tickets for after-hour-interlopers, she would snoop around her older brothers and sisters personal quarters, interrupting clandestine exchanges of teenage romance with other age-appropriate bunnies. 

She hadn't known it then, but foiling their hormone induced tirades trained the officer-to-be in the light footed ways of stealth, and even a little subterfuge which would soon be refined with her academy training. Sneaking around for her own clandestine meeting was not below the love struck Judy Hopps.

Her heart rate steadily building, Judy huffed and pounded her fists into the comforter, kicking off the bed. She had already changed into her pajamas, she was ready for bed. She just needed her comfort zone next to a certain fox.

Up and down the room she paced, trying her hardest to weather a groove in the floor with her feet. If her mother saw the two of them in bed she would be hysterical. Her father might have a heart attack and grab the fox taser.

But Nick was so close. Laying there all alone with his soft fur, his warm plucky tail, and the thought of him waking her with his lips on hers ever so tenderly...

'That's it!' she thought. 'I'm a grown bunny gosh darn it, and I will plant my tail in bed next to my boyfriend as I please!'

Her mind made up, Judy tried for the door, giving it the business end of her frustration to swing it open, only to be met by the startled face of Juniper standing in the doorway. She had her arm raised like she was going to knock but had been interrupted with the sudden inward swing of the door.

"June!" Judy said with no lack of surprise. "What're you doing here?"

"I was just coming up to check on you," she answered. The doe drew her arm back from where it hung and played off the denial of animation with a scratch to her head. Judy blinked at the obvious gesture.

"I was gonna chat with you today in the fields but you were busy teaching that fox of yours the ropes. Then you disappeared for the rest of the day." The older rabbit shoved her paws in the pockets of her baggy pajama pants. "Everything alright?

Judy sighed inwardly. She didn't want to be stuck here talking with her sister when her plan to sneak in with Nick was slowly evaporating in front of her. Time was not on her side. A few more minutes and it would be midnight, and in a house of 275 there were a lot of sleepless nights for many a bunny that were chosen to be remedied with late night strolls, midnight snacks, and late night television.

'The halls would be crawling with sentries,' she thought militaristically. 'Too risky then.'

"I, uh," Judy started, trying to remember how her mouth worked. "Yeah, I just forgot how lumpy my mattress was." She tried to play it off with a meek laugh. "Couldn't sleep."

June nodded brightly.

"Ah I getcha. How'd your fox do today? He manage to handle the country life for one measly day?"

Judy's moxxi was slowly fading with each second spent locked in conversation with her older sister.

"Uh yeah. I managed to whip him into shape." She smiled inwardly with a slight blush.

'In more ways than one,' she thought to herself.

"Good! I was worried he might not be able to get a leg up with the rest of us hardy country folks."

'He got a leg up alright,' her brain chided her.

Judy screamed internally. When she was through arguing with the devil on her shoulder she noticed June's awkward anticipation and realized they had been standing there in silence. Judy panicked and faked a yawn.

"I was just going to get a glass of water but I think I'll just turn in instead if its all the same to you."

"Right," June said. "I guess you're better than I thought so I guess my work here is done."

June turned to leave and Judy reflexively called after her. She was here now, it wouldn't hurt to try and get a read on another question burning a hole in her mind. June turned and perked her ears awaiting her sisters words.

"What do you think of Nick?"

June shrugged.

"He seems well enough." She absently patted her palms against her hips. "I mean, I know I don't show it but him being a fox was a little unnerving at first. But, uh...you two seem to really get along and that's enough for me."

Judy nodded.

"What do you think mom and dad think of him?"

"Well Dads over the moon for him. I guess him saving your life and helping you with that whole savage thing really brought him around."

"And mom?"

"Moms still a bit cautious. I wouldn't say optimistic, but..." June raised a brow and crossed her arms. "Why the sudden concern? Someone got it out for your fox?"

Judy leaned against the door and crinkled her nose in a sad, but quick sneer which settled into a frown. 

"Alex doesn't like him."

June furrowed her brow.

"That so?" She quickly let the sliver of concern away with a shrug. "Well he's never been one for strangers. He's even more closed off than Jade was in high school."

"I know," said Judy. "It's just that it would mean a lot to me if everyone came around with Nick." She realized how that must've sounded and quickly straightened her posture and smoothed her shirt. "Him being my best friend and all."

June chuckled and waved her paw dismissively.

"Don't put too much stock into that old rabbit. Remember growing up? Alex wouldn't let any buck near me even when I put myself out there. It wasn't till after I grew up and started doing my own thing that he backed off." June trailed off and stared down the hall blankly.

Judy nodded and noticed a glint and a shimmer in her sisters eye. June smiled briefly before covering her mouth with a finger.

"What?" Judy asked curiously.

June shook her head but her smile didn't fade.

"Nothing. Just recalling the good old days." 

Judy twisted her muzzle incredulously.

"Good old days? That wasn't too long ago you know."

June shrugged and looked at her empty wrist.

"Hey, I can reminisce like an old rabbit if I want to. It's one of the perks of being older than you." June patted her shoulder. "Get some rest. Got the fair tomorrow and I'm sure Nick wouldn't want you dragging him around all dreary like."

She hugged her sister and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Don't worry Jude. Alex'll come around." She gave one final pat on the head and moved down the hall. June disappeared around the corner with a wave leaving Judy confused and a little concerned.

Judy shook off the feeling and shut herself back in her room. She walked to the middle and looked down to the floor, once more tapping her foot in thought.

Perhaps running into June was a sign, she thought. A sign saying "don't push your luck". If Judy was caught sneaking into Nicks room at this hour she wouldn't be able to just explain it away as checking in on her friend.

She focused at the floor hoping to spontaneously develop laser vision and simply melt away the barriers to the fox. If she thought hard enough Judy was almost certain she could see Nick laying in his bed, his paws crossed behind his ears and a brow perked suggestively.

A whisper of an idea slipped into her rabbit brain. Judy looked to the window then to her bed, and lastly to the closet where she kept the spare sheets. The window was looking very appealing to the bunny and she moved to open the dual shutters.

Outside the breeze was cool and declining rapidly to frigid. Judy breathed in the country air and looked downward over the ledge. It wasn't too far a distance to Nicks window. She could see it tantalizing her. He wouldn't leave the latch open would he?

Judy shook her head. Now she really was up in the clouds. With an incredulous smirk she shut the windows.

"Nah."

As she moved to her bed, resignation finally eking out the upper hand in her internal struggle, Judy gave one final look to the window.

Her foot thumped faster.

\---

Judy slid the guest room window up slowly, careful not to jostle any of the loose fittings for fear of making a sound. The makeshift harness she had crafted wound tightly around her waist and with a flourish she loosened it from her body.

Was she being irrational? Maybe so. But risking the ire of her closed minded family was worth another night close to her boyfriend. If Judy was willing to risk hell and high water just to see his smile at the end of days, sneaking through her childhood home seemed like a considerably simpler task.

The window open, Judy grabbed the sill and swung her body through landing softly on the wooden floorboards. They creaked ever so slightly under her negligent weight, eliciting a soft whimper of breath from the slumbering fox in the bed.

Judy rose to a stand, and for a moment just took in his sleeping form. Sure enough he was fast asleep, unaware of the happy eyes that watched over him at the moment. Nick laid on his side facing the window, eyes shut with a fluttering twitch to his muzzle intermittently. He enjoyed sleeping in his pajama pants only, leaving the cream colored fur of his chest ripe for the fluffing by Judy's eager paws.

She elected to leave the window open a crack letting in the pleasant breeze. The chill would give her an excuse to snuggle closer to her fox. Not that she needed one. Nick was always open to the idea, she rationalized. Why should this be any different?

The rabbit moved to his side with a soft smile.

"Don't be mad," she whispered, "but I couldn't wait any longer."

Nick turned over in his sleep and his nose twitched slightly.

Judy couldn't help but run her paw along the side of his muzzle. He shivered slightly at the tingle. Even asleep he looked as sweet and kind as she knew him to be.

Judy pulled the cover back and lifted his arm to slip under it. She inched her body against his, draping her arm over his side. Nick, in his deep dream of sleep, unconsciously pulled his bunny forward into his embrace, rubbing his cheek affectionately against the top of her head like she was a stuffed plush and grew a contented smile.

Judy matched the nuzzle with her own, pushing upwards softly against him and closed her eyes, quietly whispering her loving assurance to the fox as the comfort of his presence whisked her away with him.

"I love you, my sweet fox. Goodnight."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm late, but I was working on my smut and I was in it deep. That sounds dirty..... Anyway. The last scene was the first one I thought of when conceptualizing this plot. It's kinda sweet to think of Judy sneaking in to see her fox even after he said it was okay to not... Ahhhh I love it. So fun.


	18. Breakfast

\---

When Nick came to with the morning light peeking through the lightly billowing curtains he hadn't expected to find a rabbit curled up in his arms.

With the initial surprise Nick had wondered irrationally about the tenuous sanity of some of Judy's family members sneaking into his room, perhaps to cut him up into little foxlets, but after a quick look up and down her features he recognized with delightful surprise the familiar scent of his other half tucked safely under the comforter with him.

Nick ran his thumb over her head smoothing her fur like he was wont to do. It wasn't all that often that he got to see her like this. Most days Judy stayed at her place since it was closer to the precinct for work. But when Nick did get to see the love of his life laying next to him in bed, nose twitching adorably, eyes held shut in such a way that made him wonder what she dreamed, he couldn't help but feel how lucky he was. At times like this he tended to reflect on the two of them together.

They had been together for a few months and those days were the best in Nicks life. Arriving on the front steps of the ZPD to see his partner waiting to walk into the bullpen with him was all fine and dandy. But seeing her on the steps and how she turned to face him with an unmistakable shine in her beautiful eyes was pure magic. He hadn't imagined such a perfect world when he had met her. Now, he couldn't imagine an imperfect world without her. If he was feeling dramatic Nick might call her the light of his life, shining through the shadow of resentment and cynicism that plagued the fox before he met the bunny.

Nick was a very dramatic fox, and he loved to remind Judy of that.

Staring happily at Judy, a mischievous idea formed in his head, one he had thought of days before that he was just now reminded of. Judy would either be irked or annoyed but judging from how she was here in bed with him and not upstairs like she was "supposed" to be, Nick reasoned his chances were pretty good. Plus he would get a kick out of it so win-win.

Nick nuzzled his nose into the top of her head and inhaled deeply. He loved the scent of her, how it defied the more complex of descriptions and left him with a singular thought swimming around in his head: pretty. Judy smelled pretty.

His ears flattened back and he made his gambit. With another sniff Nick let his tongue roll out of his mouth and he gave one long, experimental lick off the top of her head.

The soft touch stirred Judy from her dream, causing her to look up and meet his gaze, blinking slowly in the new daylight.

"Hey you," Nick whispered, a smile drawn over his lips. "I wasn't expecting to see my little honeybun this early." He tilted his head.

Judy blinked her eyes and adjusted to the morning haze. After a beat she felt the top of her head and drew it back to find her paw slightly dampened with fox slobber.

Instantly her eyes narrowed and her gaze focused. Nick grinned like he was proud of being caught red-pawed and he lidded his eyes partially.

"Howdy."

"What is this?" Judy said with the slightly matted fur of her padless paws waving in Nicks face.

Nick pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes in mock focus at her wiggling fingers.

"Oh that? I had to make sure it was you so I tasted a sample." He resumed his grin. "You'll be happy to know that you are in fact my Judy. And you're delicious."

Judy face palmed and instantly realized her mistake and she recoiled slightly from the wetness on her nose. She sighed and her eyes softened. Despite the abrupt awakening she was happy and satisfied with Nick being her first sight.

"What is it with you and the licking?"

"Are you saying you don't like it?" he deflected, wagging his eyebrows.

Judy ears flattened to hide the blush in them. The bunny averted her gaze and she pursed her mouth sheepishly. 

"I mean, not entirely. It's kind of sweet." She wiped her head again and flicked her fingers away. "The clean ups a bit inconspicuous."

Nick chuckled and began to wipe her face with the corner of the blanket.

"It's a thing some canids do to their partners. I'm not sure if you noticed, but we're very affectionate and rather possessive." He finished wiping her nose and cupped her cheeks in his paws.

"That and you taste really, really good." He gave a playful growl and Judy pushed his muzzle away with a smile.

"Quiet, you."

Nick obliged and resumed his quiet observation of her face. Judy did the same with her eyes. After a moment they both smiled in quiet acknowledgement of what they were doing. It was Nick who broke the silence first.

"I thought we were going to take it slow for the rest of our stay?" he said with knowing pride at her willingness to bend the rules.

"Well," Judy said batting her eyelashes at him, "I got impatient."

The fox chuckled soundlessly against her, drawing her up under his chin.

"I'm glad you did. Saved me the trouble of casing this joint like a jewelry store."

"And what would an upstanding fox such as yourself know about casing jewelry stores?" she asked with a hint of lust ebbing her words.

"Not much," he said pulling her lips closer and closer. "Just that you make your way there, get comfortable with the security, walk right through the front door," his words began to trail off in a whisper.

"Find the most beautiful gem there...and..." 

There was a knock on the door.

Judy rolled her eyes at what was quickly becoming a cycle she would rather avoid.

"Nick?" The voice of Bonnie Hopps carried through the door better than Stu's ever could. "It's time to wake up."

Judy's eyes widened at recognition of her mother voice and she bolted upright in bed. If her father found her like this that was one thing, but her mother...

Mothers had a way of making it personal. And Bonnie was no exception.

Nick frowned at first but couldn't help to address the irony. He whispered in his bunny's ear.

"What a reversal, huh?" He gave her a peck on the nose and shooed her out of bed. 

Judy was at the window and tying her rope of sheets around her waist before Nick had even stretched. She blew a kiss at her fox and he caught it in his paw and ate it up which caused the bunny to smile. With a final peek at her fox over her shoulder, Judy mantled the window and disappeared in the bright sunlight.

Nick stood and shut the window after her, sliding one curtain closed just in case. He stretched and yawned loudly to signal the matron awaiting outside his door and called out.

"I'm up Mrs. H! Just give me a moment to get decent!"

"No rush sweety," she responded. "Just a complimentary wake up call." She giggled to herself. "Everyone's down for breakfast if you're willing to join us. I let Judy sleep in since she works so hard what with the work you do in the city in addition to helping out around here."

Nick smiled to himself. The sight of her slumbering cuteness still played in his mind and he sighed wistfully.

"Thanks!" he said. "I'll be down in a jiffy!"

He awaited the soft footfalls to retreat down the hall and when they sounded he let out a held breath. As lighthearted as he felt this morning that was still a close one. No need for him and Judy to rock the boat when they were so close to finishing their vacation without incident.

Nick slid his bag out from under the bed and produced a pair of casual gray slacks and a dark purple short sleeved button up. While Judy was still unsure about his fashion sense Nick knew what he was about, and this ensemble looked good enough to him.

He quickly brushed his teeth in the personal bathroom and donned his clothes, finishing the outfit with a simple blue tie. He grabbed his phone and spare badge and walked out the door.

Going down the stairs Nick was met with the consistent arrival of Judy and he smiled at her look. She had dressed herself in another pair of jean shorts (quickly becoming Nicks favorite look) and a long sleeved light green blouse with the sleeves rolled to her elbows. As she walked down the stairs above him, Nick lingered on her legs.

"You know," he stared with a hint of satisfaction evident on his face, "I'm starting to think you're doing this just for little old me."

"Not everything's for your benefit, Slick," Judy shot back with a smirk. "But if my boyfriend likes the way I look, I'll take that as a compliment."

The bunny gave him a once over and quirked her mouth in a half smile.

"I'm not sure if every mirror you look in is cracked or if you really think you look good in that."

They continued down the stairs and Nick straightened his tie with exaggerated fervor.

"I thought you liked the way I look? It's my very own style."

Judy stopped the fox in his tracks with a tug of his tie and dragged him down to eye level. The fox smirked with gleeful anticipation as Judy's half lidded eyes trailed down from his eyes to the tuft of fur poking out from his neck.

"You, I like. Your clothes are another story." She finished with a quick peck to his nose, repaying his kiss from earlier in kind and releasing him. Nick clucked his tongue and followed after the bunny with quiet admiration of her lithe form.

When they walked into the kitchen, Nick following Judy in, Bonnie turned and rested her paws on her hips with an expectant smile.

"Would you look at that," she said. "I give her time to sleep in and my daughter still beats the guest downstairs." She rested her elbow in her palm and propped her face in her paw. "You really do burn the candle out both ends, Judy. So dedicated."

Judy threw a bashful glance over her shoulder at Nick who only raised an eyebrow in knowing smugness.

"Yeah," she breathed out dreamily. "Dedicated." Nick winked and Judy grinned nervously in response.

They took their seats at the table among the company of Jade and June. Bonnie slid two plates in front of the officers and Nick busied himself with his toast, lathering it with a hearty spread of blueberry jam.

From across the table June perked a brow in her younger sisters direction.

"Sleep well, Jude?"

Judy chomped on her own toast and nodded happily. She grunted through her full mouth in affirmation and Nick elbowed her, whispering "manners" sarcastically.

Judy swallowed her food and looked back to her sister.

"Like a kit, Juju. Like a kit."

Juniper nodded and her brow perked higher. Judy wondered what had her so excited and Nick watched the shift in her expression curiously. He thought if her eyebrow stretched any higher it might crawl off her face like a caterpillar. Luckily his mind was taken off of the subject when Bonnie sat down to eat with a question ready.

"Aren't you excited? It's been ages since the last festival!"

Nick tapped his fork at a chunk of scrambled tofu egg on his plate.

"Doesn't the fact that it's an annual festival mean it happens once every year?"

Bonnie wagged her head in a shrug. "That doesn't mean I can't be excited about it." She turned to Judy. "I can't wait to see your aunts and uncles. We'll have so much to talk about what with you becoming a police officer and your fox friend here." Bonnie giggled happily, her excitement was nearly bubbling over.

Nick stopped moving his food around at the mention of relatives. He set his utensil down entwined his fingers together.

"So. How many relatives are we talking here? I thought this was a much smaller event like that Carrot Day fair that Judy keeps mentioning."

"Oh no, nothing like Carrot Day," Judy said finishing the last bits of her toast. "All of the families from around the burrows attend, not just the district like usual. This is one big county wide shindig. And all of of my aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and the like will be there."

Nick twiddled his thumbs in his paws and pursed his lips with wide eyes at his bunny.

"Lot of bunnies there. Lot of ears," he said absently nodding to himself in thought.

"Yep," was Judy's curt reply.

Nicks gaze intensified as he nodded his chin deeper at her.

"Oh." Her eyes widened in realization. "Ohhhhh."

She understood what Nick meant. All of her family and extended family would be there. That meant more eyes and ears to continue playing the "simply platonic police officer buddies" game around. They would have to be extra careful.

June propped her head in her paws and stared across the table.

"So Nick. Dad tells me your looking to mingle?"

Nick forced himself to gulp down a bite of eggs, almost choking on it in panic. He made a quick glance in Judy's direction and she shrugged. The fox was unsure how to proceed so he shot from the hip.

"I mean, um, yes. Not particularly--" he managed to cough out before being cut off.

Junipers eyes glinted with a mischievous smile replacing her previous impassiveness.

"Well I happen to know someone who's looking for a partner."

Nick noticed Judy's fur bristle at the mention and she clenched her fork tightly. He was worried that she might lose her temper and that he might have to break up a brawl but she kept her mouth shut. In the meantime, he figured he might as well play along.

"Oh? And who might the lucky lady be?"

"Do you know Gideon? He's an old schoolmate of Judy's and now he works with our parents. He has a sister a few years younger than you. She seems like a nice girl."

Judy slapped her fork against the table.

"Isn't she a bit...prolific?" she blurted out and instantly regretted.

Everyone stared at her like she had just grown a second tail out her forehead. She could see that even Nick thought that was out of left field from his wide eyed, tight lipped mug.

"I mean," she recovered, "Nicks a really swell guy. I wouldn't want him to feel obligated to go out with a stranger all of a sudden."

June leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers.

"Where's the harm in that? They're both single, they're both attractive by fox standards," June said with a look in Nicks direction which he interpreted as genuine innocence so he let the comment slide. "What's that thing you're always saying? Try everything?"

Judy's breath caught in her throat and she wilted into her chair with a glower. June had her on the ropes here, but what was with the sudden interest in Nicks social life? It wasn't like it was any of her sister's business who her fox saw in his off time. And he was still her fox, whether anyone knew it or not. Inwardly Judy hoped that Nick wouldn't be dumb enough to say something he might regret (or that Judy would make him regret later), but she also didn't want him to reject the offer outright. He had been so accepting of the warm welcome so far, and Judy wondered how suspicious rejection of the setup might seem to what was gradually becoming an obvious probe from the older Hopps sibling.

Nick drummed his thumbs against the table.

"That's....very kind of you June, but I wouldn't bet the farm just yet," he said before a sly smirk curved his lips. "I happen to know this wonderful girl back home and I think there might be something special there."

"Anyone I know?" June shot back with curiosity.

Nick didn't dare look at her but he hoped Judy could feel the confidence oozing off of him in the moment. His smile grew.

"No one could possibly know her as well as I do."

Judy smiled at the sentiment but couldn't help but feel uneasy about the situation. She knew Nick would never do something so overt specifically to hurt her. This was just his way of being polite without letting the offer fall completely on its face. Still the thought of Nick conversing with a vixen with even the slightest inkling of dating being involved in the conversation threatened to pit her stomach. June was up to something, and whatever it was made Judy's teeth edge.

June smiled at her sister triumphantly, the glint in her eye shining bright.

"Either way I'll make sure to set up a meet, you big flirt. I'll have Dad give Gideon a call and we'll sort out the details."

She scarfed down the rest of her meal, bussed her plate in the sink, and skipped out of the room before Nick could even lift a finger to object his adamancy against being setup.

Inversely Judy finally felt some tension release with a quiet sigh. She didn't like how June was testing the waters just a little too deeply with Nick. All the while Bonnie was chatting it up with said fox, no doubt about his impromptu "date". But Judy couldn't hear them even with her superior senses.

All she could think about was the night and how this was the last one before her and Nick returned to their life in the city. The last day that she might have the chance to come clean about her relationship with the fox. But how to go about it?

She could gather them at the kitchen table and just sit and tell them. Nick would be gracious enough to hold her paw through the ordeal if need be, and that might give her some comfort.

Maybe just drop it on them mid conversation, no warning, no pretense, just put it out in the open. Her dad might have a heart attack if she did that. Her mom might scream or cry.

Judy almost dropped her head on the table. Maybe she should just gather the family in the living room, stand on a table and shout it at them. That was simple and to the point. Then her and Nick could pack their bags and get their tails out of Dodge.

However she thought on it, no way seemed to be perfect. There was always a colossal potential for failure in the most spectacular ways. The words just weren't there.

With a final sigh she turned to Nick and observed him quietly. The way he smiled and gestured with his paws. How he kept a slight edge to his smile at all times making him seem cocky and smug. But Judy knew differently. She saw a hard working and dedicated mammal, one that she would give anything for. A simple talk with her parents was inconsequential to what she felt for him.

The sight of him brought Judy back and the light returned to her eyes. She was getting too into her head again, and she knew it. If Nick could read minds he would tell her to calm down, relax, and overall not to think too hard on the talk with her parents. Then he would kiss her on the head and she would be fine like she always was.

There was no way this could possibly go wrong.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's June up to? Why does Nick enjoy licking Judy so much? Who wrote this crap? Maybe we'll find out next time:P
> 
> P.S. As suggested by the ever wonderful Erinnyes I'm going to be taking a break for a couple of days. Just about three or so so I don't crash and not want to finish the story. That and maybe I can finally finish that smut some of you keep asking for (Concoctions ;P). Please don't be mad at me *kisses forehead*


	19. Under Pressure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little buffer chapter before I get back into the real swing of things.

\---

The fair didn't start until later in the evening so the rest of the day was spent with final preparations with the family, a little bit of praying on Judy's part, and gratuitous sarcasm from Nick.

Some time after noon rolled around various members of the extended Hopps family began arriving at the farmhouse, a family gathering before the festivities that were planned for later. The way Nick saw it this seemed a kind of impromptu yard party, something mostly uncommon in the city considering the lack of substantial yards. Coolers full of bubbly and beer materialized as if from nowhere, and soon everyone was having a fine time socializing amongst themselves with family members each rabbit hadn't seen in at most a month, but acted as if it had been years. For the cynical fox this was unusual but not unexpected. Rabbits got around in certain circles. In the Burrows this seemed doubly so. Triply, even.

Meanwhile, Judy did her best to bottle her stress and managed as best as she could in the circumstances. Seeing family members that she hadn't been around in at most a year and a half took the edge off of her nerves but only just. As she hugged and moseyed her way around the various cliques that formed around the property, Judy's mind lingered again on the night. The tendrils of her thoughts plagued her brain and sometimes she would be caught drifting mid conversation, completely uninterested in her surroundings and silent.

It wasn't her fault, some would say. She had a lot on her mind after all, being a big shot police officer in the city. Even here amongst family Judy's reputation preceded her, and it didn't help to add to the nerves that bundled and twisted in her belly.

After falling away from the buzz of the crowd Judy managed to acclimate in the quiet and gather her thoughts. Judy breathed in the crisp air. The day of the harvest had finally arrived, she thought. Everything might come to a head tonight if she wasn't careful. They needed to develop a game plan, but where was Nick?

Nick was mingled with the many rabbits of all shapes and sizes. The fox had characteristically made fast friends with the younger echelon of the grouping and even managed to get a few swell chuckles from the older members of the clan. This was his natural environment, glad handing and earning brownie points with those he didn't care to be around. But when Judy spotted him with a groups her older relatives, the smile on his face made him look like he was happy to be here.

As she observed Nick swinging his arms to another story with a glass of something sparkly in his paw, Judy recognized his grin as genuine. He was happy to be here, among the rabbits, meeting the family and growing closer as a result. He was in his element and at the same time in a completely new one and he was flourishing. It made Judy's own muzzle curl upwards in a smile at the sight of her boyfriend so happily getting along with her family.

As she approached, the beats of his story of his story became more apparent. He was spinning another tale, this time not entirely falsified...but still exaggerated to a fault as was usual of her fox.

"So there we were in the museum, surrounded by two dozen ram henchmen when suddenly--"

"Niiiiick," Judy groaned cutting through his story. "Again with this?"

"Come on Carrots. You know you love me." He caught the word and looked at the assorted elder Hopps all giving him precarious looks. "Platonically," he added straightening his tie. "Strictly platonic."

Judy managed to pleasantry her way out of a bear trap of a conversation between her uncles and Nick, and pulled the fox away for a private conversation far from prying eyes past the corner of the house. In the shadow of the hilled home they were alone, more than safe enough to talk realistically and openly to one another.

"Your uncle Jacob is a hoot. Did you know he can fit an entire onion in his mouth?"

Judy rolled her eyes. Of course he would talk about the onion thing.

"Yeah he loves that party trick," she glossed over the abnormal skill. "Listen I need to talk to you."

Nick straightened his posture with the urgency in her tone and Judy flexed her lips in a taut line.

"I wanted to talk to you before we left," she said.

"Of course you would. As you once said, I'm a real articulate fellow," he joked.

Despite being rather pleased with himself, this did little to deter Judy's unenthused expression. She looked like she was getting ready to interrogate Duke Weasalton. Again. Except that face was pointed right at Nick now which made him purse his lips in preparation.

"It's about what June said earlier," she said letting her sour note of a face soften at Nicks blatant reluctance. Maybe she should go easy on him, she thought. After all, Nick had made a concentrated effort to take her more seriously. "Let's talk about your...date," she finished, air quoting around the word.

"Oh that?" Nick sighed a belated 'phew' and wiped his brow exaggeratedly. "Don't worry. I have no intention to follow through with your sisters weird attempt to set me up with every fox under the sun. Though, it is weird." He knitted his brows together in serious thought for a moment. "Very weird."

He was right, Judy thought, but that didn't stop her from wanting to get to the heart of what perturbed her. Nick spoke again cutting the thought off.

"I like how your mom is so concerned with hooking you up with every buck in the Tri-Burrows, and now your sister is playing matchmaker with your fox friend. I'm starting to think its something in the water."

"So I gathered. Though I know my fox wouldn't be so dumb as to risk the ire of his sweet honeybunny."

Nick nodded but he still recognized caution in her voice. He began to think that he might have taken the joke a little too far in trying to accept June's "hospitality".

"If you're uncomfortable just say the word and we can call it all off. The vacation, the fair, we can leave it all behind and go home together. No risk of your family doing something that makes you uncomfortable." Nick held his words for a while just letting them sink in for Judy. "I don't want you to feel like I'm intentionally miffing you."

Judy sighed.

"It's just...I don't want you to think I'm being territorial is all. Just because we're," she looked both ways and hushed the word with her paw, "together, doesn't mean you can't have a friendly chat with a random vixen."

Nick smiled brightly at her. Judy wasn't jealous per se He could tell that she understood the situation before them and how Nick didn't mean anything by it, he was just being polite. He had almost been the same way not too long ago, before his emotions ran away with the ball and then Judy had to reel him back in. But she was also being his girlfriend and she couldn't help if she felt possessive over her foxy boyfriend. It wasn't petty. He thought it was sweet.

It didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun with her though.

Nick straightened his posture and shoved his paws in his pockets. He tilted his head with a raised brow and a his trademark half smirk.

"Look at you, getting all uppity on my account," he teased.

Judy stiffened and stamped her foot.

"I am not uppity!"

Nick leaned forward till he was nose to nose with her.

"You are! You think that some stray vixen is going to up and steal your fox from you." He shrugged smugly still at eye level. "If I were you I would stake your claim quickly lest someone clubs me over the head and foxnaps me--"

The fox was cut off by a pair of paws gripping the sides of his head, and the lightning quick, but firm press of lapine lips against his muzzle. Before he could react Judy pushed his chest and he stumbled backwards barely managing to regain his balance. When he looked back he saw her standing arms crossed with a pleased smile stretched across her face.

"How's that for staking my claim?" Judy shook her head. "You think I don't know when you're trying to get a rise out of me, Slick?" she said waving her paw playfully at the fox. "It takes two to tango, and this bunny's got claws."

Judy walked past him back to the crowd leaving Nick in a haze. She sauntered past him and Nick followed the sensual sway of her hips as she looked over her shoulder at him and gave a quick dismissive flick of her fluffy cottontail. Dismissive as that was Nick knew that the issue hadn't been resolved but he was happy to see Judy having some fun at least.

Nick swallowed hard and stared wide eyed as she disappeared around the corner. When she was gone he straightened his tie and he realized his mouth had been hung open the entire time. He clicked it shut. 

"Woof."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've noticed that my own sorta continuity is a little flubbed because "Sugar Pie, Honeybun" takes place on New Years, and this takes place "technically" about a year after. So...they've already been together a good period. I felt like that needed to be pointed out because I've only just noticed it and I still want to write them as a young and in love couple (for the most part), you know, together all the time and in the prime of their lives. So I hope that's not too jarring for some of you fine folks reading my drivel.
> 
> I'm justifying it to myself again. Quiet. No you be quiet.


	20. Playing the Part

\---

The truck ride to the festival wasn't made in silence as Judy had feared, or with prying questions from June like she would have loathed. With the awkward sheen of introduction gone Nick had quickly struck up a repore with the older Hopps sister and even coaxed Jade from her she'll to a degree. The three of them traded jokes and stories like fast friends with Judy caught in the middle seat in happy relief.

At one point June even told Nick about a time when Judy would sneak around the house at night and bust her brothers and sisters hooking up by being the hall monitor of the house. She would even patrol the outside of the house to catch their lovers sneaking in windows, a comment which made Judy blush at her now hypocritical rendezvous with her sleeping buddy.

Nick turned to his partner, his eyes wide with the discovery of new ammunition for his jokes.

"You did what, Carrots?" he said with his smile peeking from behind his paw.

Judy curled her ears around her face and held them there, shaking with embarrassment at the less than tall tale. When she didn't respond Nick threw his arm around her shoulder with a hearty laugh.

"She even wrote out tickets for repeat offenders," said June with a devious grin. 

Nicks laughter intensified and he slapped his knee with his free paw.

"And here I thought you hated traffic duty!" He managed to curb his cackling and wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh Clawhauser is going to lose it when I tell him about this."

Judy's ears erected and she instantly grabbed his tie and stood in her seat to plant a foot on his chest, leaning him back as she loomed viciously over him.

"You will not!" she yelled at his still grinning muzzle.

After Jade had convinced Judy not to kill her police partner the rest of the ride was made at Judy's expense, and by the end of it she had more than enough probable cause to arrest her blabber mouth sister for disturbing her peace.

If that didn't work, Judy had more than enough know how to make her disappearance look like an accident...

It was at that thought that they finally arrived at their destination. The fairgrounds were more extravagant than Nick had anticipated even with the description from Stu and Judy. They saw the lights long before they saw the actual grounds, with all manner of multicolored lights beaming into the sky screaming "here we are! You're looking for this place!"

The place was like a sprawling theme park without borders to keep any of it contained. Nick spotted various carnival sized roller coasters and some larger industrial grade ones for larger animals or bigger crowds. There were stalls and festive stages setup all around the space, each with bright colors to draw the eye but all complimenting each other with pinks, light blues, and yellows. 

From the hill Nick could see the crowds already bustling about the grounds and the amount of animals here would make holiday parades in the city look like a friendly get together between pals.

Near the back of the grounds Nick spotted a rocky outcropping that was obviously artificial garnished with pink lights and flamboyant heart decor. The tunnel of love beckoned to him and the vulpine's smile grew devilish as he was reminded of his master plan.

When they finally parked the fox leapt out of the truck with childlike enthusiasm. He hadn't expected such a large event but again his expectations were surpassed by reality as the bright lights stretched above him.

"Sweet cheese and crackers!" he exclaimed borrowing one of Judy's favorite idioms. "And here I thought the house was a spectacle, but you bunnies have really outdone yourselves this time!"

"Don't go running off just yet," called June as she shut the driver side door behind Jade. "There's still the matter of your date to contend with."

Judy disembarked after the fox and slid into her usual spot at his side. She elbowed his arm and he jerked it back in reflex. Judy looked up at him with an exasperated expression.

"Of course. How could he forget?" she said not even trying to hide the sickly coat of bitterness on her words.

June caught on and smiled slyly over the back of the truck.

"What, are you worried your fox can't handle one vixen?" Her smirk intensified. "Or is somebody a tad jealous?"

Judy recoiled in mock offense slapping her paw to her chest as she had picked up from Nick when she accused him of stealing her office supplies.

"Me?" she said slipping into her unsung talent of acting and waving her paw. "Jealous of him? Please."

Nick perked a brow and Judy stole a glance to her side, a glance that told Nick she was sorry but how she couldn't out and say the words. He replied with a subtle wink that went unnoticed to the others present.

"I'm sure your fox can handle himself, Jude. Now come on. Let's go have some fun."

Aside from Judy's constant evil eye thrown at her sister, Nick found the beginning of the festival to be enthralling. There was no official or extravagant entrance, only the seemingly random sprawl of booths containing an assortment of carnival attractions, fresh produce from the surrounding farms, and the odd ensemble of bunny themed merchandise. Judy was hard pressed to keep the fox on a leash; Nick barley contained his excitement behind his cool veneer whenever he walked past another colorful shop. He even eyed each and every carrot plush without cracking a joke at the bunnies that followed him, though that was mostly in part to Judy's cautious defense of a stern gaze. He was on his best behavior.

They came upon what looked to be a central dining area at the center of the grounds. The area consisted of a wooden deck area outfitted with picnic tables and encircled by poles with dangling lines of festive white lights all around. Most of the tables were occupied with the various species of the burrows and Judy spotted a familiar brown russet amidst the crowd.

She gulped. Despite her initial happiness to introduce her reformed tormentor Gideon Grey, the threat of his vixen sister being interested in Nick didn't seem so cheerful.

'Let's get this over with,' she thought.

The tubby fox turned in their direction and Judy waved her arm over her head quickly catching his attention. They made their way through the crowd and at Gideon's side Judy could see the vixen that she immediately felt boiling contempt for.

She was a skinny thing with fair features akin to a fox of her age. She wore cut off jeans much to the rabbits dismay, and a black t-shirt with a band Judy hadn't heard of and hugging a little too tight to her notable bust for Judy's liking. 

'Who's she trying to impress,' Judy thought looking down at her own minute cup size.

Gideon smiled warmly and greeted them with open arms.

"Fancy seeing you here, Judy! I uh, thought you'd be in the city gettin' on another headline or sumthin'." He looked past her to see June and Jade with another fox and his brow quirked in caution.

"Is uh, is that him then?"

Judy looked back at her fox and Nick waved with twinkling fingers. She waved him over and gestured between the two vulpines.

"Gideon, this is Nick. Nick, this is Gideon Grey."

Nick looked up and down the tubby fox. He was dressed in baggy overalls stretched tight by the heft of his husky form and his hair was combed neatly in an all too tacky style reminiscent of an animal without a sense of proper style. Nick wondered how this guy could ever possibly be threatening to anyone, prey or otherwise. And despite his expected unenthused reaction Nick extended his paw and gripped Gideon's firmly.

"Pleasure to meet you Gideon. Unlike her sisters, Judy's actually told me all about you."

The other fox chuckled meekly.

"Yeah um, not too much. I hope."

Nick smiled releasing his paw.

"Don't worry Gid. You have nothing to fear from me."

"Gid, huh?" He rubbed his chin. "I like that."

From behind them a silken voice sang out and it made Judy's ears stand erect with an uncomfortable chill.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" it said. 

Gideon smacked his head. Judy wondered how excited a fox could possibly be to introduce his sister to a potential date even if that date was as standup and spectacular as Nick.

'Who is still my fox,' Judy thought hiding her sneer. This vixen had better watch her manners.

"Oh right! Judy, Nick, this is my sister, Leeann."

The vixen stepped forward with her paw outstretched daintily which immediately made Judy question the vixens opinion of herself. Nick shook her paw casually.

"Hey there," she said leaning a little too far into a paw shake. "You're even more handsome than June mentioned."

Judy observed every minuscule twitch on Nicks face but he was ever vigilant. His mask was on, most likely for his benefit against Leeann she hoped.

"Starting a little strong are we?" was his coy reply.

She shrugged.

"I simply know what I want when I see it."

Gideon pulled at his collar with a crook edging his mouth.

"Well um, I don't suppose you two would want to go around and see some of the sights then? I have to get back to the stall. Pies sell like hot cakes around this time. And the hot cakes sell like pies!" He laughed at his own joke but stopped when no one else joined in. 

Leeann grinned and slid in at Nicks side, opposite of Judy who leaned forward to look past her fox at the interloper encroaching on her territory. Her rabbit nose twitched angrily but denied any other emotion.

"I'm sure we'll have a ball of a time. What'd you say, Slick? How about I show you around." Leeann tried to subtly wrap her tail around his ankles but everyone saw it.

Judy bristled at the mention of the nickname. That was her name for her fox. She was about to object, strongly this time and possibly with an open paw, but her nerves settled with Nicks words.

"Actually," he took a step away from her and settled behind Judy, "I wouldn't mind sticking with the bunnies if that's okay."

The vixen batted her eyelashes and shifted her stance, cocking out her hip in a fashion all to reminiscent of Judy.

"Wouldn't you like to go somewhere a bit more private and...talk?"

But Nick was made of sterner stuff and the attempt bounced right off his armor.

"Something tells me you aren't much for conversation."

Leeann furrowed her brow in confusion as the barb sailed right over her head and Judy took the opportunity to step in with Nick.

"That sounds great, Nick. I'll show you around."

The vixens eyes shot from the bunny and back to Nick.

"No tag alongs, bun bun. This dance cards full."

Before Judy could object, Leeann had hooked her arm in Nicks and dragged him away into the tumultuous crowd. Judy's paw twitched after him but she held it at her side. Nick would never do anything to hurt her, and he was smart enough to handle one ditzy vixen.

That didn't make the sight of him wandering away with another female hurt any less.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad that everyone is so supportive of my stories even when I start faltering in confidence. So I just wanted to say thank you. Just cuz. 
> 
> Prepare for fluff.


	21. A Quick Reprieve from the Cold

\---

After Nick had been stolen away the bunnies had drifted their separate ways. June and Jade had left to try their paw at some carnival games, Gideon had a stall to run with his famous pies and pastries, and Judy was left not knowing what to do. She had heavily anticipated spending the evening with the fox she loved but even that had been stolen away from her. She was left with naught to do but wander the grounds all alone.

The picnic area didn't appeal with her lack of appetite so Judy wandered away. Roller coasters, how would she share such an experience alone?

Even the whimsical wonder of cotton candy would not lift her spirits. She thought of being able to stick the sugary treat to the end of Nicks muzzle and how he would get confused trying to lick the fluff away. She had done it once before with peanut butter and he had repaid her joke with a tumbling fox in her direction. He had gotten peanut butter everywhere that night.

Judy came to pass a booth where various young bunnies and other various species played a balloon popping game. The way they all intermingled without fear of each other warmed her heart and reminded Judy of what she had told Nick yesterday about kits. How might motherhood treat her? Judy still had a great deal she wanted to accomplish, to climb the ranks and make lieutenant, maybe even Chief one day. And she was still so young. But she was coming around to the idea of kits the more she thought about it.

She looked up at the wall observing the assortment of brightly colored prizes, all plushes of the different species that inhabited the burrows. Sheep, deer, a few tigers, and in the upper corner a particular pair caught her eye. There, leaning against each other to where their noses touched, was a russet fox and a gray bunny snuggled close together. Their button eyes stared blankly back at Judy and their stitched smiles warmed her spirits a bit. 

Judy sighed at the pretend kiss from the toys. She wished she could show Nick that Kodiak Moment just for him to blow it out his lips and call her an emotional bunny. His emotional bunny. And he would shake his head and lean over to plant a kiss between her ears and she would accept it happily. She yearned for that feeling now, the press of his lips to her head and the eventual whisper of touch against her own and how her heart would flutter enough to make her float.

Now she felt especially grounded, and as such she pushed away from the stall to return to the cold of loneliness.

Judy was so caught up in her sadness that she didn't hear the light footsteps behind her, and when her vision was obscured by a pair of dark furred paws she nearly yelped in surprise. She might have flipped the culprit over her shoulder had his familiar baritone not sang in her now attentive ear.

"Guess who," it breathed and Judy could feel his lips smile against her with a quick peck. The whiskers that touched there instantly soothed her with the familiar texture of the very lips she had been missing moments before, and Judy smiled with her eyes still enclosed in shadow.

"Hmm, I don't know," she brightened, quirking her mouth upwards in thought. "Teddy Mercury?"

The creature leaned his muzzle over her shoulder still keeping his paws over her eyes.

"Really? That's your guess? You are one strange bunny."

"Yeah," she replied breaking away from his hold and spinning around to see the emerald eyes of her red fox. "But I'm your strange bunny."

Judy embraced him, leaping to wrap her arms around the fox's neck. She dragged him down in a stumble but he stayed upright, steadying himself and returning the hug. The rabbit nuzzled into his neck not worrying about their surroundings for the moment.

"How did you manage to ditch her?" she crooned into his neck. "She looked like she was on you like glue."

Nick patted her back and gave a gentle squeeze to his honeybun and she pulled away to once again meet her eyes.

"Well." He swerved his neck around in an exaggerated circle, settling on the bunny before him. "After she managed to drag me away, which by the way she is deceptively strong--" Nick froze at the sudden glare he recovered from his bunny.

"But not as strong as you!" he sputtered. "Anyway, I managed to lure her to the pie eating contest and lost her in the ensuing chaos."

Judy perked a brow, confusion laden in her eye.

"Chaos?"

"Yes well, it would seem some sly devil threw a banana cream pie at the one rhino in the Burrows." He flexed his teeth in a gritted 'yikes' face and shoved his paws in his pockets. "He was not happy about that."

Judy pulled away and crossed her arms behind her back. An aura of quiet befell her and she kicked her foot in the dirt absently.

"You sure you wouldn't rather spend your time with Leeann?" Judy said shyly, dropping her gaze. Her ears flattened and her light dimmed. "She's a little more...filled out than I am."

Nick scoffed with good nature. He knew that Judy was well aware of what he would say, she was just being sure. She was always giving him the benefit of the doubt for better or worse.

"Please. She's trying too hard. Besides," he sidled up to her and slid a paw around her waist drawing her in and against him. Judy stiffened slightly but soon melted against his fingers and snaked her own paw around him.

"I only have eyes for one gal. The way I see it, I'm the luckiest fox in the world."

Nick leaned down and whispered in her ear, a move which made her ear twitch with a shiver.

"And she's not even half as sexy as you are."

Judys shivers quickly turned to blush under her fur. How could she not when he said things like that? She looked up to meet his eyes and already they began fueling her with courage.

"What about all the bunnies? What if they see us?" she said wiggling her fingers in the grip on his waist.

"Don't you feel safe with me? I know I feel safe with you."

Judy could feel the fire in her belly blaze now and it reached a boiling point when she reached up to peck him on the cheek. When she pulled back Nick was smiling like a crazy fox. Her crazy fox, she thought.

She took a moment to observe her surroundings, searching for any mammal that might have eyed the fox and bunny with distaste. When she found none Judy's eyes drew right back to her lover and a healthy smile spread on her muzzle.

"That's my honeybun," he said. "Now let's see what Bunnyburrow has to offer on this wonderful night." He gave her a once over. "Though I'll admit, it'll be hard to top the standard that's been set."

"You flirt," Judy cooed. And she dragged him by the paw into the festival.

\---

Nicks fur bristled as they rose higher and higher on the tracks of the log ride. He gripped tighter onto the bar that hung freely like a short railing on an elevated catwalk. How this death machine could even be considered safe was beyond him. There weren't even seat belts!

He looked next to him at Judy who was practically shaking in her seat with excitement.

"Um, Judy? Did I mention that I don't like roller coasters?"

It was like she hadn't even heard him. She raised her arms as they reached the apex of the drop.

"Paws in the air!" she yelled as the cart dipped over the peak. Nick frantically cursed under his breath as if it would change the situation he was in.

"Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap-"

The drop happened before he knew they were even there and Nick kissed his tail goodbye.

"Craaaaaaaaaap!"

\---

"It's all in the wrist," Nick said as he readied the palm sized plastic ring in his paw. "Watch and learn, Fluff."

Nick flicked the hoop at the neatly aligned row of bottles and it bounced helplessly off the neck of the clear translucent little devils. The fox held his pose as a slow clap emanated from his side and Judy couldn't help but smile smugly at his shameful display.

Nick relaxed his pose and held his paws out questioningly. 

"What?"

Judy giggled.

"Oh nothing, oh master of the ring," she said framing her paws around the words mockingly. Judy broke into another fit of giggles and Nicks ears flattened bitterly.

"Hah hah," he mocked turning back to the stall vendor. "I still have another try right?"

The vendor, a buff sheep, blinked his polygonal pupils and spat something indiscernible to his side.

"Nope," he said blandly.

Nick scrunched his face incredulously.

"Five dollars for one try? This is highway robbery!"

The sheep shrugged.

"Don't like it, get a move on. There's a line forming."

Nick turned back only to see the empty pathway trailing between the stalls with no other animal in sight aside from Judy. He was about to give the jerkwad a piece of his mind too, but his better half pulled him back with a stern but caring look.

"Come on Nick, there's other games to be played and I'm sure you'll be great at them."

She began to walk away and with his opportunity nigh, Nick gasped loudly to the sheep and pointed to the back of the tent that enveloped the carny game.

"What in heavens name is that?!" he yelled.

The sheep spun on his hooves in the direction of the fox's point. When he spotted nothing he turned back only to find that the fox had vacated his spot at the stall.

A few feet away Nick strutted happily whistling and tossed a simple Velcro wallet in the air and caught it. He slipped out a five dollar note with a grin until he stopped in his tracks at the angry glare of a certain bunny staring cross armed at him. She pointed wordlessly back to the stall.

Nick sulked and began the trek back.

"I'm still getting a refund," he huffed with a pout.

\---

Nick offered Judy her carrot on a stick and he forked over a few dollars to the vendor. Judy happily sniffed at the fried treat and wafted the steam rising from it to her eagerly twitching nose.

"These are my favorites you know," she said pointing the orange treat at Nick.

Nick sniffed at his own sticked vegetable, a hefty chunk of broccoli, with a cold paper cup of cola in his other paw.

"I'm going to be honest: I don't know what you see in these things." He grimaced at the green treat and spit his tongue in disagreement. "Yuck."

Judy sniffed once more at the heavenly aroma and placed a long, healthy lick up the orange veggie. She half-lidded her eyes and turned to the fox.

"It's the color," she cooed and took a bite out of the side.

Nick simultaneously blushed and gulped at the display. He couldn't help but see her as unpredictably frightening and irresistibly attractive. She was an amazing amalgam of unusual parts that put together one perfect creature.

He shrugged.

"I guess I can give these alien delicacies a try."

They walked for awhile until their pleasing conversation was interrupted by a call out.

"Excuse me, miss."

They both turned on their heels to meet the forms of two rabbits. Judy didn't recognize them as anyone she knew, but judging from the disheveled nature and the stale scent emanating from them trouble was on the horizon. Nick's protective instinct kicked in and he took a small step putting himself between them and Judy. 

"Howdy guys," he greeted placidly. "Swell shindig you have going on here."

One of the rabbits, a thinner sort, swayed in place and looked to Nick.

"No offense fox, but I was talkin to the lady."

Nick held up his paws with his drink and broccoli on a stick in false surrender and relinquished the talk. Judy could handle these pipsqueaks easy.

'This should be good.'

The skinny rabbit stepped forward.

"We couldn't help but notice such a fine young lass like yourself walking around all on your lonesome."

Judy raised an incredulous brow.

"But I'm not alone. I'm with him." She gestured to Nick at her side who grinned brightly.

"Yeah... Well, he looks a bit eh, toothy for our liking. We can protect you."

Nick blinked slowly and shook his head.

'Oh, you dumb dumbs.'

Judy's tone turned to ice in an instant. Her carrot faltered in her paw.

"Excuse me?" 

The fatter bunny chimed in with a hiccup.

"Yeah, you don't need to be afraid of a scary predator like him when you're with us."

"Afraid?" she raised her voice.

Nick took a step back. He sipped from the straw in his drink as Judy took a heavy step towards the two bunnies.

"The only thing I'm afraid of here is the what kind of swill you two must drink to believe in the ignorance that just fell out of your mouths." She took another step and Nick could see the two beatniks start to second guess their decision to intrude on Judy's night.

"Now apologize to my friend here and be on your way."

"Now listen here girl, we don't need to apologize to no predator for being all scary like," the skinny one said crossing his arms.

Nick spun on his heels and called over his shoulder.

"Let me know when you're done," he said hiding the smile of what would befall the buffoons.

Nick winced at the theoretical tail whupping Judy dished out to the poor hicks in his mind and grimaced when he heard them both hit the ground with a loud thump.

Judy sauntered back to and past Nick, and he followed her with his eyes all the way, a very pleased smile plastered on both of their muzzles.

"Come along Nick."

Nick clucked his tongue and took a bite out of his green treat. He didn't even spit it out as he followed after his bunny and watched her tail shift from side to side.

"Mmhmm. Luckiest fox in the world."

\---

"There it is, Carrots," Nick said holding his paws out in a grand beholding of the artificial outcropping of rock. "The tunnel of love. What adventures lie within its precarious depths?"

He stepped back to Judy's side and leaned back to whisper in her ear.

"Riches?" He spun around to her other side in a flamboyant flourish and whispered with a drawl fit for pulp novel commercials. "Romance? Only one way to find out, my dear."

Judy rolled her eyes and shook her head. Nick was certainly taking advantage of the cheeseball factor that was to be expected with such an attraction as the tunnel of love, and he was having a field day. But Judy only looked on the manufactured rocky alcove with a nervous caution. She had never been inside before, not having a reason to go through without a romantic companion at the time. If someone were to see them here of all places...

Judy tapped her foot, testing the ground before her nerves got the best of her.

"I don't know Nick. That rides mostly for young kits and their high school sweethearts. Don't you think we're a little old for that gimmick?"

Nick stopped his giddy excitement and stared to her with incredulity.

"Too old? What are you talking about? If we're to stand a chance at being together we have to temper ourselves in this trial or who knows what will happen to us."

Judy's mind faltered at his words and she dropped her gaze to the ground and rubbed at her arm nervously.

"You don't mean that..." she said sadly.

Nick quirked the corner of his mouth and took her paws in his, holding them aloft between them.

"Of course I don't. But what I do think is that it would be really romantic if I got to go on this cheesy love fest of a ride with the bunny of my dreams."

Judy felt her cheeks get hot at his sweet words.

"You mean that?"

"I wouldn't go on this ride with just anyone, Carrots. Only with someone that I truly loved would be able to tolerate such a corny attraction."

"Challenge accepted."

They approached the counter and Nick slid a few bills to the ride operator.

"Two please."

The bunny occupying the control booth looked at the two of them and for a moment Judy feared he might turn them away. But he just shrugged and pressed a button to open the gate and ushered them through.

Meanwhile at the guard rail overlooking the punitive stream trickling from the tunnel, stood a muddy colored rabbit who eyed suspiciously the sight of bunny and fox entering the boat arm in arm.

\---

The maw of the cave yawned behind them and what was once bright, carnival style lights was replaced by an agreeable, dim ambience of warm pinks and even warmer reds. The water lapped lazily at the sides of their vessel and underneath the obvious piano sonata wafting through the air was the soft mechanical whine of the track that pushed the ride forward. The cheap seating tacked into the creaky excuse for a boat was tolerable if only that, with various portions patched with strips of duct tape which caused Judy to shift in her seat at the scratchy feeling against her legs.

For the fox it didn't detract from what was already a perfect night in his humble opinion. Spending any amount of time with Judy was enough to set his sights high and each time they were surpassed.

For the bunny, despite the shenanigans she and Nick had gotten into previously tonight she couldn't help but think risking the archetypical romantic venue was pushing the line of what was acceptable in such a conservative small town like the Burrows. She turned back and gave one final look to the entrance hoping that no one she knew had seen her enter with the fox lest the news get back to her parents. That would not be an optimum conversation to return to at the nights end.

Beside her Nick sat relaxed, his previous hitched enthusiasm seemed to have melted away returning him to a calm exterior with his passive smile. He was so at ease that he extended his arm over the back of the seat comfortably and Judy could feel the barest traces of his claws skim past her shoulder.

"It's just us now, Carrots," he said swiveling his eyes in her direction. He waved his resting paw back towards him and curled a finger. "I don't bite."

'Unless I ask you to,' she thought happily.

Judy felt a wave of ease wash over her at the sight of his smile even with the growing dimness. With her newfound confidence she obliged her fox and scooted closer till she nestled comfortably into his side. Judy laid an easy paw across his chest and Nick let his head rest on top of hers.

"See? This isn't so bad."

"Speak for yourself, Slick. The decor is tacky as all get out."

"I'll admit it's a bit cheesy, but it has a certain charm to it."

"The tunnel has a certain charm?" she said with a perked brow.

Nick shook his head with a smile.

"Oh alright. You have a certain charm."

"Do I? Tell me more Mr. Wilde."

"Well, like I said you're charming." He began listing off of the paw that rested on the boat side. "And witty. Deceptively beautiful..."

"Deceptively?"

"Well I had to get past that overly confident and cute exterior of yours. Turns out, there's a really loving bunny under there."

"Uh huh. And what does that loving bunny say now?" she said tipping his muzzle precariously over hers.

"Why, I love you, of course."

"That seems rather presumptuous of you, Mr. Wilde."

"Is it, Ms. Hopps? And here I thought I had more than enough evidence to support my claim."

"How's this for evidence, Slick..."

Judy let all pretense fall as she closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his. This was better than the pecks they had stolen during the day. Finally Judy was able to travel deeper and feel her partner dance over her tongue. Nick was more than happy to oblige her wanderlust and cupped his paw behind her head as he leaned her over. With a final nip at her mouth Nick pulled away and nodded with closed eyes.

"With the evidence on display, the people move to find the defendant to be in love. How does the defendant plead?"

"Mmmm." Judy licked her lips. "Guilty."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure if that lick is a little too sensual for submitting to the ZNN. Thoughts? Complaints? Hopefully you don't have any of those:p
> 
> Just remember: I love you.


	22. Such a Perfect Day, I'm Glad I Spent It With You

\---

Judy sighed gripping happily on and leaning into Nicks arm as they walked from the tunnel of love ride. She didn't care anymore if someone saw at that point or time or what her family would say if they she was caught happily in love with the fox she was pressed against. Judy closed her eyes and let herself be guided through the fairgrounds with her ear catching hints of Nicks steady heartbeat at her side. This, this here was bliss.

Nick looked down at his side and smiled before resuming his walk down the aisles of tents and attractions. Even amongst the various smells of popcorns and candies wafting through the air around them, the one scent that he could focus on that melted his heart was the sweet succulence of the bunny whose arms wrapped around his own.

For a moment his pulse quickened at the realization of his circumstances; the girl of his dreams after a romantic boat ride through the tunnel of love. If Nick had thought of that set of factors a year ago he would have laughed out loud. But here they were, in love, and now he couldn't picture a more perfect night. Nick wanted to stop in his tracks, scream to the world how content he was in the moment, maybe even dip Judy low in a powerful, romantic kiss like they did in the movies. He made a note to put some of those films on his watch list when they got home to the city. Judy would enjoy a movie night full of cheesy rom-coms.

Judy sighed again taking Nicks attention from the pink cloud of entropic happiness in his mind.

"Was it everything you hoped for, Nick?" she said still keeping her eyes shut.

Nick leaned his cheek against the top of her head as they walked and nuzzled the spot between her ears. She rubbed back into him happily.

"I'll admit it, you were right. That was the most tacky experience I have ever had in my entire life," he said stealing a glance over the bunny's furrowing smile. "And it was perfect in every way. And not just because of the boat ride."

"Oh?" Judy posited with a perked brow.

"The company was good too," Nick joked.

Nick clicked his teeth reflexively at the tightening of Judy's iron grip on his arm.

"You always going to keep me in line with a playful little squeeze, Carrots?"

"Only if you ask nicely," she teased with a hint of haughtiness on the edge of her words.

As they approached the outskirts of the festival they neared the parking lot once more. With the truck in sight Judy was struck with an idea. A way to really make the night perfect. A little time for just the two of them like she had promised.

Judy broke away from Nicks grip and quickly hopped to and from the bed of the truck, grabbing the emergency picnic basket and began to walk to the edges of the parking lot into a worded area. She looked over shoulder with a glint in her eye.

"Come on. I want to show you something."

\---

They hadn't been walking long when Judy stopped in her tracks before the next crest of the approaching hills.

As his view rose over the hill following after the bunny, Nick was treated to the sight of a quaint clearing around a small pond. The majority of the area was encircled by tall trees that rustled slightly in the breeze ensuring a comfortable amount of privacy. The water shone in the moonlight with calm twinkles and the sandy bank was clean and windswept, giving it an untouched aesthetic. It was the perfect definition of hidden glade, Nick thought.

The fox blew air from his lips, unwilling to let the scene remain untainted by sardonic humor.

"Please don't tell me you lured me here to cut me into evenly sized pieces. It'd be a shame to spoil an already perfect night."

Judy narrowed her eyes and smiled mockingly at the fox but made no attempt to exact revenge. 'Just you wait,' she thought knowingly.

Judy walked along the pond until she found a spot that she judged appropriate, took a few paces away from the water, and set the basket down. She flipped up the wicker lid and produced a yellow towel and spread it across the sand with a quick flick of her arms. The bunny nodded, satisfied at the smoothness of its surface and seated herself on her knees before turning in Nicks direction and curling her finger towards her. Nick straightened his tie and joined her on the blanket settling in and kicking his feet out and held himself up on his paws laid flat behind him.

"Do you take all of your friends to spend the evening with a romantic picnic under the stars?" Nick said wagging his eyebrows.

Judy looked sideways at him with a smile and down to her paws twisting in her lap.

"Just the one that I like very, very much," she said trying to hide the blush under her fur.

Nick perked a brow over his smirk.

"Only like?"

Judy lowered her head, bashful with eyes glistening brightly in his presence. 

Nick adjusted his positioning, crisscrossing his legs and let his paws lift hers. He curled his fingers around them and squeezed gently.

"You know, this shirt is the same color as your eyes," he cooed commenting on his ensemble.

"I did notice. I'm happy I picked this shirt as well," she replied drawing his attention to her green blouse. "It's my second favorite color."

"What's your favorite color?"

"Red," she smiled upwards at him.

She smiled sideways again and raised her eyes to gaze over the pond. Fireflies had begun to dance around its edges and some even floated lazily across towards them, blinking like Christmas lights.

"Whenever things used to get too heavy I would come here to unwind. No one ever bothered me here, or judged me or anything. It was my happy place."

"Was?" Nick said catching the slight lift to her voice. She turned her head towards him and her ears flattened against her back.

"I have a new one. He usually follows me wherever I go and he's kind of a loudmouth," she said cocking her shoulder to her cheek, "but he never fails to make me feel happy wherever we are."

Nicks smirk turned into a genuine smile and he inched closer towards her smiling lips.

"That's so sweet..."

Judy stopped his muzzle with a finger to his lips. Nick was halted with puckered lips and wide eyes. He looked like a doofus, Judy thought merrily.

"Ah, ah, ah, Slick. Not yet." Judy stood from her spot and closed her eyes to breathe in the night air. Nick cocked his head with confusion but held his tongue.

"You know, tonight seems like an excellent time for a midnight swim," she said resting her paws on her hips with a smirk. "Don'tcha think?" She walked towards the pond while Nicks face quirked in thought.

"I don't know, Carrots. I don't have a suit and--"

He looked up to see Judy standing with her shirt already dangling from her finger, her back revealed with only the thin black strap of her bra to conceal any of it.

"You've got boxers don't you, Slick?" she said rhetorically.

Nicks eyes widened at the sight of her. The gray goddess winked over her shoulder and his heart rate increased. Nick only hoped that he would get to see the rest of her before the night was over.

'Sly bunny.'

He quickly stood and wiggled out of his slacks as Judy stripped the rest of her outfit and dipped a toe in the water. She found the temperature to be to her liking and waded a few feet out before diving in headfirst. Nick followed suit searching for the submerged bunny.

"Judy?"

She surfaced behind him and splashed her paw at him sending a wave of water over his ears. Nick wiped the water from his eyes and looked back to see her hiding a giggle with her paw.

"What's wrong, Slick? Don't tell me a little bunny like me got one over you?"

"How dare you," Nick whispered with a smile under his breath and leaped at her with all of the speed of his species. Judy dodged to the side and splashed again catching Nick in the chest and he responded in turn sending larger dashes of water over her bunny ears. Their tussle ended with them grabbing each other by the shoulders with Nick having one upped her.

Judy blinked up at her fox.

"What's wrong?" she giggled out letting her breathing slow. "Bunny got your tongue?"

Nicks paws ran down her arms and he tickled her with his claws a little.

"I certainly hope so. I know sometimes I have hers," he said grinning through his pearly whites.

"Face it Wilde you can't tie me down," she teased. "Let me go."

Nick inched closer with his lips perking with mischief.

"Make me."

He placed a peck on her cheek and she giggled lightly before he started placing more and more on her neck and down her shoulder. His kisses turned into nips and Judy devolved into a fit of laughing at the tingles he caused in her. She responded with a small bite of her own on his shoulder which made Nick stop and shiver with a titter. Judy looked up from her meal on him and nibbled further up his neck until he sighed in her ear. She pulled back and looked in his emerald eyes.

"How's that then?"

"You could do a lot worse then a little love bite, Carrots."

Judy perked a brow as a deliciously devious thought bloomed in her mind. The bunny reached down and wiggled her hips, her articulate motions obscured by the water. When she lifted her paw, dangling from her finger was the wet mess that was her black panties and her lips curled in a haughty smile.

"How about now?" she whispered seductively, flinging the garment to the shore and resting her arms on his shoulders.

Nick grinned and snaked an arm down under her rear and lifted her against him.

"Naughty bunny."

Judy's paw ran up the side of his face smoothing the wet ruffles that had matted there and Nick closed in to press his lips against hers. He leaned her back and Judy's ears dipped over the surface of the water as he deepened the kiss. She moaned lightly into his mouth before being pulled away, breathless. She could see where this was going and she wanted to get there as soon as possible.

"I promised you a romantic getaway," she sighed and Nick covered her mouth with another kiss before he responded in kind.

"We could have gone to Tundratown and it would've been romantic as long as you were there." Judy resumed her biting down his neck and Nick hissed at her warm lips against his nape.

"God I love you."

\---

From the bushes the rusty rabbit curled his lips in a snarl at the sight of bunny and fox dashing into the water. When she had unbuttoned her shirt his suspicions had been confirmed and now everything else only cemented the vile feeling in his gut. He turned back to the brush and began the trek back. Even he knew when to take the hint and stop his surveillance on the bunny and her secret lover.

If faces could peel paint his would have done all that and more.

"Dead, Foxtrot," he said as he pushed through the brush and the sound of splashing faded from his acute hearing. "Dead."

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, now that I actually reread that last little bit at the pond it doesn't seem all that risqué. No REAL nudity, just implied. Well, maybe more than implied, but still suitable for ZNN right?
> 
> We're approaching the end of this arc. I really gotta work some more on it. I wanna get to the one shots I have planned! Oh such wonderful sweetness for my babies!
> 
> I can say that right?
> 
> My bun. My fix.


	23. Revelation is Such a Corny Word

\---

On the sandy banks of the pond Nick awoke to the first light of day trickling over the hills. The clearing was still as quiet and mystical as it had been the night before with still waters and even stiller winds; not even the birds tweeted to break the serenity of his surroundings, and that was near perfect for Nick. But not nearly as perfect as the nude form of Judy laying next to him in the sand.

Amidst their tumbling last night the ground was disturbed in a Pollock painting of snake lines and a myriad of paw prints. Grains of sand clung where her hips met the ground as the towel they had lain to negate the natural deterrent had bundled and clumped in the process of their loving. Nick didn't care. He only wanted to look at his bunny snoozing quietly with the purest of smiles on her lips, and he once again felt that oneness that came with being her mate.

His eyes traced the outline of her body; from the soft white fur of her feet to the curve of her hips, the steady dip of her waist from her breathing, and upwards to the softness of her ears draped carefully over her shoulders. She was as beautiful as the day he had met her.

Judy stirred her head causing her ear to tussle off her shoulder and brush the sand. Nick lifted his paw to her head and ran it down her ears till he reached the one that fell, and carefully lifted and set it back over her shoulder against her chest, and when he moved within reach Judy rubbed back into him happily.

"What a way to wake up," she cooed. "Fresh air, warm sand, and an even warmer touch."

"You're such a romantic, Carrots."

She rolled over to face the object of her affection and was illuminated to meet his sparkling eyes carefully observing her face with a contented smile. Judy reached out to run her paw along his face and trailed it to the end of his muzzle, ending with a tap to his nose.

"I am," agreed with a quiet giggle. "Only the best for my fox."

Nick smiled at her with the sunshine dwarfed to his beaming grin. For a while they just smiled back at each other, content to observe their partners eyes that wandered up each other's forms and stopped when violet met green.

"What are you thinking about?" she said observing his silence with quiet happiness.

Nick stretched a paw over her hip and pulled her against him. Judy's skin tingled at the familiarity of his fur on her belly and her small smile stretched with a giggle. Nick ran a finger down her side and she tingled once more.

"Just how lucky I am to be with the most beautiful bunny in the world."

Judy swatted playfully at his encroaching nose with a finger.

"Now who's being romantic?" She let her lingering finger trail under his chin and her paw pulled his muzzle to hers and into a deep kiss. She nibbled a little at his lips, a residual spark of passion flaring from last night, but they tempered the flame. Nick wanted nothing more than to let the fuse light once more but he knew they were needed elsewhere. Sensing his thoughts Judy slowed her exploration of his muzzle and pulled back with a passive expression. She simply resumed her stare, drinking in the moment and Nick knew she was thinking the same as him. Still his voice decided to confirm.

"You think they missed us last night?" Nicks said still tracing a circle down her side.

"I don't care," came Judy's reply. "Nothing would make me regret last night. Not even if they marched over that hill right now with torches and pitchforks."

Nick leaned his head up and looked past her almost expecting her exclamation to come true. When the sounds of an angry mob failed to present themselves, he laid his head back down, ears twitching at the graininess of the ground.

Again he wanted nothing more than to let the moment last forever, laying there, the two of them staring silently at the person that meant the most to them. Judy returned the sentiment desiring only to feel him become on with her once more but simply let her paw stroke languidly over the fur of his leg.

This tranquility was not meant to last, however. Regardless of their thoughts on the matter, Judy and Nick had arrived with the Hopps family and simply disappeared having failed to return to the household that night. Judy could only wonder what her sisters must've thought of her and wondered if the Sisters Hopps were unfortunate enough to encounter Leanne and learn of Nicks mutual departure.

"As lovely as that evening dip was," he said forcing himself to avert the lovely entrapment in her eyes, "pond water makes for a terrible shampoo." He sat up with his paw joining hers. "We better head on back."

"Yeah."

Judy stood with him and looked over the snaking patterns of the tossed sand and paw and cheek imprints left about. She smirked, sufficiently satisfied with their prior lovemaking. Drawing her from her trance Nick yanked her to his chest and again pulled her lips to his. Judy let her initial surprise melt away as she slipped into the kiss. She moaned lightly into his mouth and Nick broke it to hug her tight against him.

"Thank you for last night, Judy. You didn't have to be so sweet to give me a wonderful night, but you did."

"Of course I did," she said rubbing her cheek against his chest. "Because I love you."

"I know, and I love you too, Carrots. Nick jerked his head towards the basket where their clothes laid crumpled in a pile. "Let's get dressed. Wouldn't be proper of us to come back naked would it?"

She sniggered and released her grasp on him, resting a paw on her cocked hip.

"Since when is anything we do ever proper?" she said with a perked brow and a sly smile.

"Heck if I know. But I wouldn't want to scare your family by making them think I've lost my mind walking around nekid." He injected a bit of southern twang at the end of his sentence and Judy rolled her eyes.

"Alright Slick, that's enough naked bunny for you." She turned and sauntered to the basket giving a little sway to her hips. Nick watched her little dance all the way and shook his head before the rest of his body began to catch up to his eyes.

'For now,' he thought on the sly.

\---

All the way home Judy held nicks paw as they walked. The journey was short enough that they wouldn't be too tired upon returning, and isolated enough that their only witnesses to their blind love were the birds and the open countryside. It was a pleasant extension to their private time they shared earlier, and more than enough to build confidence into both fox and bun. But nothing could have prepared them for what unspeakable horror awaited them at the house.

It was worse than they thought. Much worse. When Judy and Nick returned to the Hopps household it seemed like no one had noticed that they were missing. No one. Bunnies were lounging in the living room, eating snacks in the dining room, or running around in the yard out back. Some raised their eyes to the newly aquatinted fox and the familiar violet eyed lapine, but none bothered to acknowledge Nick and Judy in any way that they had been expecting. It was quiet and peaceful with no room for panic.

And that was just about the worst thing they could've imagined.

Judy leaned and spoke out of the corner of her mouth to the fox.

"Is it just me or does everything seem perfectly fine?" she muttered, her eyes never leaving the sporadic spacing of her siblings.

Nick muttered back.

"I don't think they've caught on. Just fly casual."

They walked forward almost joining paws but then awkwardly, and quickly realizing their mistake and snapping their arms back. Nick kept quiet as they navigated the room but Judy had other plans, greeting each and every animal she came along and doing a bang up job at acting casual. Nick slapped his palm to his face.

When they reached the other side of the room June finally materialized from the halls of the house with her ever present cohort in the quiet Jade as the duo moved through the living room to a sitting area near the back door.

"Where have you fine folks been?" June called out making the pair turn on their heels to face her. "We were uh, pretty worried last night."

Judy responded, cocking her brow with false enthusiasm.

"Oh I was just uh, showing Nick around the Burrow."

"I bet," June murmured.

Judy heard the slight and was beginning to get tired of June's recent shifty behavior.

"What's that?" she queried, crossing her arms with a knitted brow to enhance her imposing posture.

June turned to Nick, ignoring the question aimed at her now constant shining eyes. The fox did not like the way she stared at him, like she was trying to crack a puzzle. But what...

"We met back up with Leeann last night." June's face flashed with light concern, her lip curling over teeth in a slight grimace with wide eyes. "She did not look happy, all covered in pie filling. As a matter of fact," her face returned to the sly gleam, "she was looking for you all night, Mister Fox. I wouldn't be surprised if she was still searching for ya."

Jade shrugged out of nowhere and began walking back towards the front door, catching June's eye so that she called after her with a confused look.

"Where are you off to?"

Jade turned back and looked passively to the group and straightened her glasses.

"Project," she stated plainly and disappeared out the door.

June grimaced again, this time more severely and rubbed her ears back.

"I better go after her. Last time she had a project we were finding spiders in everyone's sock drawer for a week." She nodded curtly to each Nick and Judy before bounding after her sister.

Nick quirked the corner of his mouth.

"That girl is very strange."

Judy shrugged, almost unsure of what seemed so out of place in her childhood home.

"Who June? Nah she's harmless. I think," her gaze following the shape of her sister out.

Nick looked to his secret lover questioningly.

"What? No, the other one."

Judy looked back to him quickly then to the door again, still unsure of what had him so interested. 

"Oh. Yeah kind of."

Then a hot wrath burned on both of their backs as Bonnie marched into the living room, eyes glaring and aimed right at Judy.

"Judith Laverne Hopps!"

"Here we go," the rabbit in question muttered flexing her eyelids in exasperated motion. She spun around with her soon to be trademarked fake grin, an expression which made the fox chuckle quietly.

"Hi Mom!"

"Don't you 'hi mom' me!" she yelled shaking a disconcerting finger at the bunny. "You didn't come home last night for roll call and I was worried sick!"

"I'm--" Judy tried to apologize, but her mother simply held up her paw.

"Nope. Not another word. You are grounded young lady, and you are going to help me clean up the dishes from last nights lalapalooza!" She nodded at her decree and turned to head back from whence she came.

"The kitchen, little missy!" she called over her shoulder. 

When Bonnie finally left through the door she came from Judy released a sigh, happy to finally be left relatively alone with her partner. Grounded! At her age! Who did her mother think she was? Did she honestly expect her to follow her orders blindly like a scolded kit? She sighed to herself. Of course she would. Judy didn't want to raise anymore trouble while they were still here on vacation, though they would be leaving later tonight.

Judy turned to her fox with the wear showing in her eyes and exacerbated by both the slouch of her shoulders and tired shake of her head. Nick placed his paw on her shoulder and she almost rubbed her cheek into it, but stopped once she considered where they were. Still it was an appreciated gesture and she brightened visibly.

Nick cocked his head to the kitchen door and a smile formed over his lips.

"You better go help her, Laverne."

Judy winced at the sound of that name in his voice, a voice that could usually make any word sound pretty, but not that name. And it was almost an insult in of itself to say it back to her, but she had her own ammunition loaded in the chamber for such an occasion.

"Quiet, Piberius," she shot back with a smug smirk.

Nick almost choked on his thoughts alone at the mention of that name. He stopped her, gripping both her shoulders with shaky paws and hunching close to her muzzle, almost too close considering their location.

"How did you learn that name!?" he whispered hastily as if Judy had caught him burying a body with Finnick. Not that he had ever buried a body, no sir, he thought before quieting his overactive imagination. Again.

Judy simply grinned past her half lidded smug look, a look that in certain circumstances Nick would find irresistibly attractive but now only spelled doom for the vulpine.

"Are you going to tell me how you snagged that nice apartment?"

Nick rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I finished an impossible task for the Russian mob and they got me outta the game with a nice severance package. How?" he asked again.

His honeybun lifted her paw to her lips and daintily zipped them shut.

"Trade secret, Slick. I'll start singing when you do." She finished with a wink.

Nick wanted to growl in frustration. He also wanted to dip her so low to the ground with such a passionate kiss that everyone would have to love them, it would be such a perfect display of love. She was crafty, sometimes too crafty. And that was actually irresistible.

He smiled and relinquished his hold on her, standing back and straightening his posture whilst also clasping his paws behind his back and resuming his usual smug expression.

"You do realize there will be a reckoning for this infarction," he sang through his smile.

"I'm looking forward to it," she sang back with equal candor. She kissed the air back at him and his expression slack jawed for a second which made her smugness increase as she turned to head for the kitchen.

Nick watched her begin to leave and started his own trip to the stairs and up to his room when her voice stopped him in his tracks. He turned around to see her in the doorway with her paw on the frame, the smugness in her eyes replaced with genuine happiness.

"Hey," Judy said before forgoing her journey to return to the fox. She shot out a paw to entwine with Nicks and brought it up by her face and curled her fingers with his, careful to hide the touch behind their bodies. All the while her eyes glistened up at him like diamonds. "I like you. Like, a lot."

"Just like?" he winked and headed up the stairs to unwind and relax.

"Love," Judy whispered watching him leave before turning to go help her mother.

\---

Bonnie Hopps was not the most cunning of mammals. She wore her heart on her sleeve like any other good natured family living in the Burrows, she said what she thought and kept conflict to a minimum with circuitous wording. At the very most she might have a passive aggressive comment to say about a ne'er dowell, but only if they truly deserved it, and that was fair to say of all mothers. It was this history of friendly optimism that rubbed off on Judy, but also allowed the young Hopps daughter a window into the mind of kinder animals apart from herself. It was also why she kept on her toes around her mother now.

"Nick seems nice," she said polishing a mug and setting it carefully on a shelf accompanied by dozens like it.

Judy scrubbed at a pot left soaking in the sink, evaluating her mothers tone, choosing the words in her head very particularly. She seemed to be in a better mood than when she had only just chastised her daughter for staying out late. Something was up.

"He is. We've been through a lot together. And he's always had my back." She stopped scrubbing, a smile sneaking its way on her lips as thought of her ever present fox.

Bonnie quirked her brows when she spoke, her intuition kicking into gear.

"He's a little older than you."

Judy shot her a searching look, narrowing her eyes in caution. "Yes? And?" She waited for her mothers explanation to carry on where she left off but she only returned to her mugs.

"It's just...well, I don't mean to sound rude but--"

Judy dropped the sponge with an audible 'sploosh'. "Do you have a problem with Nick, Mom?"

"No, no problem," she said and Judy was entirely unconvinced. "It's just you two seem...close."

The dots were connecting right in front of them. Of course if anyone was going to see part of the picture it had to be her mother. Judy headed the veiled accusation off at the pass.

"We are close. We're partners."

It was Bonnie's turn to look unfazed. She wiped her paws on her apron and rubbed them together.

"Is that all you are? Partners?"

Judy froze. Her mouth ran dry. This was the moment she had been waiting for. The time to come clean. She should have seen it coming. Turning away as many bucks as she did, it was only a matter of time before her mother became suspicious.

Judy was afraid of it being like this; about her mother sounding so accusatory with vague steps tiptoeing around the subject but never actually touching upon it. Judy could tell her mother wanted her to be the one to say it. But Officer Hopps knew how to play ball. Nick had taught her that.

"If we were, would it be a problem?" She sidestepped the question with her own. Somewhere, she felt Nick would be proud. "Nicks a respectable mammal. He has a roomy apartment, a steady job. Pays his taxes." Judy smiled. That last one was just for her.

Bonnie wringed her paws tighter. Judy saw that the comment had hit its mark and her mother was caught on the back foot.

"He's a very nice mammal. He's been polite and respectful the entire time he's been here." She cocked her head with a sheepish wince. "But he's a fox."

Judy stopped what she was doing and faced her mother, crossing her arms.

"I hope you didn't mean to say that in the way it sounded."

Bonnie's pupils shrank momentarily and her ears sprang in alert. 

"It's not that he's a fox!" she said waving her paws placatingly. "What I mean is, what about grandchildren?" Her foot started the hereditary tick of thumping nervously. "I mean, I don't even know if bunnies and foxes are..." she whispered the last word with hushed shame, "...compatible."

Inside, Judy wanted to scream at her mother. How dare she try to use biology against her relationship with Nick. She flashed back to her fears of parenthood, back to her talk with Nick. It was too close to home that jab, but Judy kept her wits about her and refrained from a nervous tick. She didn't so much as twitch a toe.

"I assure you, Mother," she leaned forwards and empathized her words, "they are VERY compatible."

Bonnie blushed at how curt Judy was in her argument. The corner of Judy's mouth arched up in revelry but it disappeared as soon as it appeared. That was it. There was no obfuscating the truth anymore, not after that. It was too direct and now it was the moment of recognition.

Judy sighed and shook her head. She couldn't look her mother in the eye so she just shut them tight.

"Mom, I would think you of all animals would understand after everything I went through to get where I am. You and Dad accepted Gideon after what happened when we were kits."

"That was a business arrangement!" she raised her voice. "It wasn't like my daughter was sleeping with a fox!" 

Just as soon as the words left her mouth Bonnie covered it with her paws and a sharp intake of breath. But it was too late. Judy closed her eyes tighter, breathing in and out slowly at the barb. It was cold and icy, like a needle had been shot right through her. If anyone else had said it, a stranger, Alex, heck even Bogo, Judy could have let it go. But mothers have a way of getting at a daughters heart, icy and cold.

Judy gritted her teeth and fought the pain boiling inside her. By sheer emotional damage this threatened tears, but Judy fought them. To her Nick was worth more than that. She didn't need to cry over what she felt in her heart for the fox when she knew it was right.

Bonnie tensed at what she was sure to be just retribution for her backwards lashing. What was said though surprised her.

"Mom, you were there for me every time I wanted to try something new, when I wanted to be different." Judy opened her eyes and sent a steely glare aimed at her mother. "But you never believed in me. Not you, or Dad, or anyone in the family. 

"Every step of the way I was told what I could and couldn't be. And even when I finally realized my dream, everything was still rigid and unwavering. Nick was the same way when I met him. But when everything was falling apart around me, just when I was ready to give it all away, he stood up for me. When I needed a friend to turn to he was there for me. And when I needed that much more he gave it."

"Nick makes me feel like nothing I've ever felt before. I trust him with everything that I am and that I will be."

"I don't do the things I do simply for the sake of being unique, or being an outlier, or to upset you. I did it because this is who I am."

"If you can't get behind me on this, if this is the line you won't cross then so be it. But I will not stop caring for him because you disapprove. I won't let the world keep telling me what I can't be. With every fiber of my being I will deny them that. He's worth all that and more to me."

Bonnie held her face still, her eyes trained on the kit before her that had grown up so much since the last time she saw her. Judy had always challenged the norm. From the day she was born she was different. When she had come forward with the dream of being a police officer both Bonnie and Stu had felt they had done something wrong. But they hadn't. Judy was always special, just not in the way her parents had thought. Not till now. 

When it all sank in Bonnie croaked out her words with genuine concern. She knew she couldn't make Judy see it her way, but she realized she didn't need to. Bonnie couldn't help if her words were lightly iced.

"Judy, a Hopps has never married a fox before."

Judy nodded, taking the words into herself. With every doubt her armor grew thicker. She had taught herself that long ago and Nick had cemented it as part of herself.

"Then I'll just have to be the first one." Judy said the words before she even realized what they meant, and when that epiphany hit her it was like a freight train. Her heart skipped a beat and her belly fluttered. It crystallized in her mind and from the seed she had just planted bloomed a flower of a revelation.

There it was, she thought. The answer for a question she didn't even know to ask.

Bonnie stood stunned. She could only manage to nod briefly and lower her gaze away from the piercing amethyst eyes of her daughter. After a period of silence she acclimated as she could and tried to formulate words.

"I can see that I won't be able to convince you otherwise."

Judy stood cautiously. "No."

Bonnie nodded more frantically and Judy could see the tears forming in her mothers eyes. She looked up to meet her daughters gaze and she edged a smile.

"Then I'll try to understand, Judy. I'll try for you."

The dam broke and her tears flowed freely, and Judy rushed in with a comforting hug. Bonnie held on to her tight as she sobbed into her shoulder again relaying the words to her daughter, and Judy felt her own tears form with a smile. They both stayed there for the time being. Both had come to a crossroads and seen a new way of looking at the other in a new light, for better or worse. Judy was content with that.

The moment was shattered by a clutter and Judy's ears perked to the sound instantly. Bonnie's followed suit and she looked past the kitchen door to the staircase.

"What in the heck was that?"

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, finally! That chapters been burning a hole in my pocket for months now! But it's out there so yippee! How'd I do? Please tell me:) I enjoy talking with you peeps.


	24. A Little Bit of Gunpowder

\---

Nick whistled happily to himself as he squeezed a helping of orange shampoo into his paw. The hot water of the shower washed over him wiping away the heady combination of smells of the pond water and sexy rabbit from his fur, and while Nick was sad that the smell would leave for now, his bunny was liable to get close and once more envelope him in her delightful scent.

For a fox, it was easier than most to catch on to scents. He wasn't as sensitive as a wolf per se, but Nick could read a room be sense of smell alone if he had enough time. He could read nervousness by trace amounts of sweat caught in fur or a heavy layering of deodorant. Most animals gave off a particular scent when they were angry as well. Sometimes he could even tell when certain species were in heat, though those instances were embarrassing for everyone involved and actively avoided.

Judy was special. She sometimes smelled like violets, sometimes like lavender, and sometimes she smelled like a summer breeze, whatever that meant. Sometimes she even smelled like fox, Nick joked to himself. He couldn't always describe her scent, but every time he caught it his heart swelled and he felt safe and excited, and like a million zoobucks. It made him feel inexplicably content without warning and he would often find himself smiling without remembering why. He need only look to his partner to remind himself.

Nick lathered the soap into suds on his chest and spread the bubbles up his arm and down his legs. His tail would take a little more time to be properly cleaned but last night had been worth the extra effort. Nick and Judy hadn't had such a romantic night like the last since they started dating. Now the fox was wondering how he could repay the repaying of the date with another lovely excursion.

The vulpine started humming to himself and cupped his paws to gather some water which was promptly splashed on his face. He shook away some of the morning stiffness and his humming built to a song escaping his lips. He replaced some the words to his liking. 

"Oh sugar pie, honey bun..." He hummed again, forgetting some of the words as he spun to face the shower head. "...I can't help myself..."

The sun was bright, the house was quiet, and the water was warm. The only thing that would make the moment perfect was if Judy were here to share it with the fox. Though his appetite was far from hungry, her presence would have been appreciated to silence the slight ache Nick felt whenever she was away from him.

He shivered under the building steam behind the shower curtain and began rinsing the suds away. Judy didn't need to spend every moment with him. Besides, soon the trip would be over and Nick would have her all to himself. They would spend their last day off lazily on the couch watching a sappy movie, or maybe they would go out for dinner. Or maybe a walk in the park was in order to spend time with his honeybun. The possibilities were numerous and equally attractive and Nick smiled as the last of the soap was cleaned from his fur. Everything was perfect.

'Nothing could crap on this day.'

But that wasn't what the looming shadow from behind the shower curtain between the fox and open air thought. In one swift motion the plastic barrier was pulled aside leaving the nude fox bare before his unknown assailant. The shadow was silhouetted against the glaring light from beyond the bathroom and Nick emitted a surprised shriek that if anyone had heard, Nick might have never lived down the petty shame he felt.

Two powerful paws grabbed the fox and sent him tumbling over the lip of the tub. He slid over the bath mat and scrambled for the door before he was again pulled back, this time by the scruff of his neck, and hauled to his feet face-to-obscured face with his attacker.

The steam hid it's shape for a moment, but with the open door and a fresh air current the room was quickly clearing and Nick recognized the imposing figure of a tall, muscle bound....rabbit?

"You!?" he questioned rhetorically at the familiar grimness of Alex Hopps.

Alex pulled a fist back and swung with full force at the red vulpine. Nick ducked beneath the blow and shoved forward with both paws, pushing the oversized lapine into the tub. In the confusion Nick managed to procure a towel off the nearby rack. The fox had been in scuffles before but he was usually afforded the handicap of being fully clothed. A towel would help, but it also seemed to be his only tactical means of defense in the meantime. Nick elected to sacrifice modesty for any advantage.

As Alex struggled to his feet, Nick flicked the soft fabric out and spun it into a tight switch and dipped the tip into the toilet and readied it for deployment.

"Now see here," he called through the rapidly dispersing steam with as much authority as he could muster, "I'm almost 83% certain I haven't insulted you since yesterday so this is kind of a shock, you being here and all!" Alex managed to rise from the porcelain bowl and stared daggers at the fox causing him to grip tighter on the wet noodle.

"So how about we just calm down and talk this over like adults, eh? Preferably with pants on."

The rabbit roared and lunged at the fox. Nick reacted accordingly, quickly whipping the towel at Alex's nose with a sharp crack sending the rabbit reeling.

"Back! Back I say!"

Nick flicked the impromptu point again and again at the larger combatant, retreating a few precious steps out of range with each attack. Inevitably, the towel lost its shape and unraveled in Nick paw. 

This was an interesting scenario, the fox thought. This particular rabbit was as large as life and Nick was left naked with a growing chill despite the rush of adrenaline flowing through him. Compounding that with the bump on his vulpine skull from the tumble over the tub that was making it hard to focus, and saying that Nick seemed to be outmatched was probably an understatement. He draped the towel over his wounded ego and decided it was time to enact his backup plan.

"H-help!"

Alex advanced through the door with murder in his eyes and Nick fought to surpass another testosterone draining scream.

Thankfully his knight in shining carrots arrived and burst through the door. Bonnie followed closely after. Judy saw her unclothed fox and looked about as confused as Nick was concerned for his own safety. Bonnie appropriately covered her mouth at the fox's modest form.

"Nick!" Judy called. "What the devil is going on?"

Nick pointed repeatedly to the side door and sputtered his response.

"Buh-buh-buh-buh-big boy!" His voice calmed for a moment but his face still held onto the readily apparent terror. "Help."

It was then that Alex emerged from the side room and looked between his sister and the object of his wrath. He read the situation but seemed to ignore the path of sense instead taking another frightful step at the fox. Judy put herself between the angry rabbit and her fox with arms spread in a barrier method.

"Alex calm the heck down!"

Alex only huffed and hiked up his sleeve, clenching his paw in a fist.

"Get out of my way!"

With his powerful arms he shoved the much smaller bunny to the side and stomped towards his target. Nick tried to put the bed in between him and his adversary but the oversized brute merely flipped it on its head.

"Oh come on Al have some respect for the furniture, it's not like I live here!"

Nick backed to the window with one paw held up in defense while the other kept his towel from slipping.

"Now hold on big guy, let's just talk about this for a-"

The fox mis-measured his steps and before he knew it the room in front of him grew further away, and so did the house. He was falling backwards.

Judy screamed, her paw stretched out at her lover's image in a pointless attempt to grab at his fur, his face, anything.

"NICK!"

\---

Outside Jade stood next to a circular metal frame with a thin rubber membrane stretched across it. Before her stood her father, scratching under his cap in confusion as the younger of the two stood with her paws in her hoodie pockets.

"Now just where in the heck did you get this thing?" said Stu.

Jade shrugged and beside her June raised and clapped her arms to her sides in surrender.

"I'm gonna be honest, Dad: I have no idea what she's up to this time."

Perhaps unexpectedly, an orange blur landed on the outstretched trampoline. The blur rebounded, bouncing a fair distance back in the air before landing on the outer rim of the rubber. With the force of gravity behind him, Nick busted a few of the springs holding the children's toy together and fell through to the ground on his shoulder.

He clutched at his gut to find that the familiar stinging pain had returned with a vengeance.

"Ribs," he muttered. "Why is it always the ribs."

From above he could hear the shouts of Alex followed by an unintelligible roar. When he looked up Nick managed to see the disagreeing ears of the tangy colored rabbit disappear, and in their place was the unmistakable cuteness of Judy's gray muzzle, twisted in a cacophony of worry and fear. Now that he thought on it, there were three of her all shimmering in and out of sight in a spectral fashion. Nick couldn't help but crack a joke to himself about multiplying.

Nick almost swore he could hear her calling his name but the ringing in his ears told otherwise. He tapped the side of his head with his palm trying to coax his senses to reboot.

Stu rushed to his side, his paws shaking in a panic and unsure what to do.

"Sweet rutabaga casserole! You alright, son?"

Nick waved emptily over his head with words that sounded a bit too wheezy for the older rabbits liking.

"Don't worry, Chief, I'll have those reports on your desk by thurdrrr-" He stumbled over his elbow sending his nose into the clipped grass.

Karma must have really hated the fox today because from beyond the corner of the house emerged a familiar busty vixen, a look of anger plastered on her face along with what looked to be dried whipped cream throughout her fur.

"There you are!" she screamed and began marching toward the lying fox.

As the vixen closed in on him, Nick caught the sight of his adversary having nearly closed his pursuit.

Alex had returned and behind him poured out the majority of the Hopps household, all three million of them, Nick noticed through his pounding head. 

'Dinner and a show,' the fox thought. 'And Carrots thought I would never bust into show business.'

In the larger rabbits paw he held a familiar pink device that made Nick's pupils shrink. The fox taser sparked alive with bolts of electricity crackling around its barbs and Nicks mind cleared like he had run a vacuum through it. He also wondered if those things ran off of nuclear power with the amount of lightning emanating from its mouth. Not a single rabbit moved to stop him, either paralyzed at the imposing image of Alex or too enraptured with the display to step forth. Alex moved in for the fox.

"You're dead, foxtrot."

Before he could lunge forward, the oversized rabbit was met with a double helping of flat feet slamming into the side of his head. Judy had leapt into a double legged drop kick and sent her brother flying. She landed hard on her back but expertly rolled over backwards onto her feet and towards Nick, hopping back and forth to maintain her momentum.

Alex struggled to his feet and wiped at his muzzle with the back of his fist. His eyes flared once more when he saw the return of the one great obstacle in his way, and he waved his paw at his sister.

"I told you to move Jude! He's mine!"

Judy balled her fists and stopped bobbing in place.

"No he's not!" She stomped her foot. "How dare you Alex! He's my boyfriend!" She wouldn't let anyone take her fox away from her, even if she had to scream her resistance to the world, present company or consequences be damned.

When the words left her mouth, an audible hush fell over the crowd. Nick shook his head again, unsure that his girlfriend had actually said the words out loud. When he realized that it was were real he looked around to the reaction, and from his position on the ground Nick was able to see the faces of everyone present, and their reactions were varied and far in between.

June beamed brightly, vindication shining on her face.

Leeann looked disbelieving, her eyes darting between the fox and his protective bunny.

Stu just looked confused, his cheek crooked upwards under his squinting eye.

Jade shrugged. 

Alex didn't care, or he cared too much as he growled back at the couple.

"He's a fox, Judy! And you're my sister! We don't do this kinda thing!"

"Says who? And who do you think you are to dictate my life!? I'm not anyone's to control! Especially some third rate, bigoted rabbit that never tried to do anything else than be a carrot farmer!" Everyone gasped but Judy cast her arm out, striking the thought away. "I love him and nothing you say or try will make me do otherwise! Nothing!"

Her brother took another threatening step forward, pointing out the taser with its barbs ablaze.

"If you do not move, I will make that decision for you."

Judy dug a foot into the dirt behind her and Nick gulped at the sight of her. It took a special kind of asshole to get on Judy's nerves, but the fox had never seen her so angry. And it was a calm anger. It almost made Nick want to run away from her himself.

"If you want him you're gonna have to go through me Alex," she spat at her brother. At her sides Judy readied her clenched paws and Nick saw the muscles tense throughout her body as she said the last words, and though he couldn't see them he knew her eyes had froze over with that violet blaze that frightened everyone so much.

"And honestly, it's gonna take a lot more than what you've got."

Alex looked to the fox on his knees still clutching at his ribs and then to the sister that stood between them. He knew who she was, what she could accomplish in a few days and what she had endured up until this point. She was trained, exceptionally so, and even if he had managed to shove her away upstairs, in the here and now with preparation Judy was not easily bested. This was not a fight he could win. With a growl he clicked the taser off and let it drop to the ground. He pointed at her with vitriol in his eyes.

"This is a mistake Judy. There's a reason we're not with them. One day you'll see that."

He turned and walked away, disappearing past the barn doors. When she was sure he was gone, and the adrenaline cooled on her veins, Judy dropped her fists and rushed over to her fox.

"Oh cheese, Nick! Are you okay?"

He looked up and forced a smile, though he winced halfway through.

"I'm fine, Carrots. Never better, in fact." He wasn't entirely lying. He was happy that Judy had pretty much just shouted their relationship to her family and that he didn't have to hide anymore. Although he would have much preferred if he could hide a little bit considering his unclothed form.

"You fell out of a window," she chastised running her paw over his side searching for abnormalities. She was delighted to find none but the pain was still apparent on her fox's face.

Nick waved his paw through the air dismissively.

"I've been through worse. You know, I was shot once."

"Nick, I got shot," she said running her paw up and over his cheek. She managed to choke out a laugh from behind her growing tears.

"Oh. Right."

Judy let the tension slack in her body and pulled her lips to his, needing to know that he was all there in that moment. When he responded back with a decent, albeit clumsy kiss she abruptly broke the contact and wrapped her arms around him tightly, almost restricting his breath but the fox wrapped his free arm around her back and rubbed up and down it gently.

They then remembered Leeann's presence, who stood over them confused. The vixen pointed from her hip. 

"You guys," she pointed between the two of them, "are together?"

Judy pulled back to look at her fox and hooked her arm under his shoulder to hoist him up, barely catching his towel as it slid down his shaken form. He gratefully tied it back and thanked her with a nod.

"Yes," Judy said, looking up into her foxes sparkling eyes, a smile forming now that the truth was finally out. "Yes we are."

The vixen crossed her arms for a moment before letting them fall to her hips. The way that Nick saw her she seemed to rush from confusion, to realization, to acceptance, or something in between. It also looked like her brain short circuited from behind her eyes.

"Oh," she simply stated.

June's voice rang through the air, and Judy and Nick turned to see her pointing fervently at the couple with a triumphant grin. 

"Hah! I knew it! I knew you two were together!"

Jade came up to her side.

"Yeah we all knew," she blinked. 

"Wait what?"

Judy looked over the gathered crowd of her family. Her brothers and sister, young and old, big and small, they all knew. Some looked slightly confused. Some of them shrugged. But a lot were smiling. None wore sneers or frowns. There were no objections. They were happy to see their weird police officer sister having found someone, and it didn't matter that he was a fox. 

Judy turned to Stu, her arm still on Nicks shoulder.

"Dad, did you know?"

Stu looked to his wife who had joined him at his side and she nodded, albeit with a slight shrug.

"I suspected, but I wasn't sure," he said not looking away from Bonnie. He turned his gaze on the half dressed fox who shifted his paws to cover more of his towel. "I guess we have a lot to discuss, huh?"

Nick looked down at his feet and wiggled his toes.

"If it's all the same to you sir, I would like to put on some pants first."

Stu chuckled and Nick responded in turn with a nervous laugh. Considering the way the day had progressed everything seemed to be going well. Though there was one thought niggling at the back of his mind. They all turned to Jade who swiveled her head to all of the eyes on her. Nick was the one who finally asked.

"How'd you know I was going to fall out of that window?"

Jade characteristically shrugged and walked off, disappearing around the corner of the house. Nicks eyes followed her dark hoodie every step of the way until she was gone and then he shook his head.

"What a strange girl," he said surprising no one.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the chapter was late. I was trying to gather some free time to write but things kept popping up, and once I did have time then my wifi started acting up... It was a mess.
> 
> Anyway here ya go. I'm almost done. Allllllmost. Not a big chapter but I have to wrap this arc up pretty soon, most likely in the next chapter. So. I gotta get on that tomorrow. Or today. Freaking time. Gaaaaahhh


	25. I Forget Where We Were

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! How bout that?

\---

After what was surely the most interesting incident at the Hopps' family farm in in the memory of all but the oldest the day had noticeably darkened. It was as if a cloud had hung over the property appropriately affecting the sunny dispositions of all involved.

Now, Nick sat in the dark kitchen fully clothed in his blue and white aloha shirt across from the nervous looking Mister and Missus Hopps, and absently drumming his paws on the table with only a single light hanging above them for illumination. The rest of the room was cast in shadow. Judy had called for the four of them to sit and discuss the evening's incident like civilized animals, and with the full threat of what seemed to be her obvious intentions everyone was appropriately on edge.

Stu sat chewing on his lip and gripping silently on his wife's paw, having removed his hat to fiddle with it in his other paw. Bonnie returned the gesture with quiet support to her husband in whispered reassurances and a strong gaze, though the unease was still apparent behind her wizened eyes. Nick dealt with the pressure as he usually did; an impartial expression and apparently effortless relaxation. He seemed completely unperturbed by what had happened with Alex. It was as if someone had backed into his car and the fox had not only shrugged it off but offered to pay for the damages as well.

Judy finally walked into the kitchen in fresh jeans and a blouse with a stern gaze on her face. She was wearing her spare utility belt and most everyone's eyes were drawn to it. Nick immediately knew she was all business when he noticed that her badge had recently been polished. It was another habit Judy had formed when she was about to do something difficult for her. Nick had only ever seen it when she talked to a victim's family. The circumstances seemed morbidly appropriate for the newly gleaming bronze. 

Someone had threatened her fox, and regardless of whether or not they were blood relation they were going to face retribution.

Everyone, except for Nick, waited with bated breath to hear what she was going to say. Judy moved to the table and slowly pulled out the chair, filling the room with an unnecessarily loud screech. She sat down carefully and knitted her paws together across the table.

Stu couldn't take the calm expression on her face anymore and broke out.

"So, Jude the Dude! Heh, what's the prognosis?" For a moment she didn't say anything so he continued, desperate to fill the air with anything but silence. "It's uh, quite the pickle we find ourselves in today, huh?"

Judy blinked coldly, her scowl deepening as her brows flattened further. 

"Dad, you know what I'm going to say."

Stu's ears slackened and he replaced his hat.

"Yeah," he conceded.

Bonnie looked between her husband and daughter, not quite understanding the unspoken agreement between the two of them.

"What?" she questioned with her eyes flicking between them.

Judy sighed.

"Alex is going to be put under arrest. The only reason I haven't done it yet is because I wanted to make sure Nick was okay." She looked to her fox with a small frown on her muzzle, but nodded at his acceptable status. Nick returned the nod and she continued.

"I'll transport him to the sheriff where he'll be processed and turned over for the courts to handle. After that it's out of my paws."

Bonnie instantly stood from her chair. Stu's eyes followed her up but he stayed seated. Nick could tell the older male had already read the gravity of the situation and the fox wasn't liking what he saw.

"You can't be serious Judy! He's your brother!"

"I'm going to arrest Alex, Mom." She sat back and flattened her paws on the table. "What he did was not only assault on an officer, it was also a blatant hate crime and very much so attempted murder." Judy shuddered at the last word and stole a glance at Nick to once more make sure he was still there.

"Judy," Bonnie started, "can't we just put this behind us? This whole thing was just one big misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Some ice flowed into Judy's tone making her mother wince. "He attacked a mammal in the shower, threw him out of a window, and then proceeded to attempt further assault with a deadly weapon. It was a flipping fox taser for crying out loud. This goes far beyond a simple 'misunderstanding'." She air quoted the word before letting her paws fall back to the table.

Nick leaned in with a finger pointed up.

"Actually, I fell out of the window on my own." He looked to the various incredulous stares he received around the table. "Technically," he added before leaning back to his chair.

Judy wiped down her muzzle.

"Even if I didn't want to arrest him, which I very, very much do," she emphasized, "my paws are tied. I witnessed it with my own eyes and I have to protect the victim."

Bonnie crossed her arms and her voice grew colder with her words.

"You can't expect to hold him entirely responsible for acting like he did. Keeping a relationship a secret from us was a huge deal, and it was with a fox no less! What did you expect him to do?" She turned to the fox in question with a placid look flashing across her features. "No offense."

Nick wriggled his nose in distaste.

"Motion denied, offense taken" he deadpanned. He was beginning to see why Judy was so concerned with her parents opinion of him. Bonnie could be a real ice queen when she wanted to be.

Beside him Judy was simmering with anger, and may have burst at the seams if not for the timely placement of a comforting fox paw on her knee. Nick squeezed, giving her the strength she needed to hold back from saying something truly dreadful though her words lashed out nonetheless.

"He was out of line, Mother! He nearly killed my boyfriend! And you certainly aren't going to hold him responsible for it!" Judy pinched the bridge of her nose before pointedly waving her paw to her mother. "There are rules for the society we live in, and I will not have the rabbit that attacked the fox I love go unpunished!"

The matron rabbit's mouth hung agape with incredulity at Judy's tone. She turned to her husband, gesturing to their daughter.

"Say something, Stu!"

Stu's frown quirked at the edges and his eyes closed with a drawn out breath. 

"She's right, Bon."

Bonnie scoffed and threw another look at Judy. She wasn't budging, and the younger Hopps maintained her stony expression. Her decision was resolute; it was the second time today when Bonnie recognized the determination on her face. 

"I won't change my mind on this, Mother." She leaned forward and entwined her fingers again, focusing her voice with measured words. "This is happening, you guys."

Bonnie wilted and broke.

"I know," she sobbed out.

Stu rose to comfort her in his arms for a brief moment before she pushed away to leave the room. Stu reached after her but let his arm fall back. Judy felt a twinge of guilt for a moment before she stowed it away. There would be time for that later. Now there was business to attend to.

Despite her outward disposition, Nick couldn't help but notice that in the end Bonnie conceded her son under Judy's iron fist of law. It was another silent tick box on Nick’s growing mental list of understanding from the Hopps family.

Judy rose from her seat losing Nicks grip on her leg. She looked to her side and the fox nearly crumpled under her heavy gaze. Ears flat, eyes narrowed, posture held straight as an arrow: everything about Judy screamed "don't mess with me".

"You coming?" she said cocking her head to the door.

Nick flexed a frown. This was looking more and more sour by the minute. He nodded and rose to meet his position at her side. He tried to take hold of her paw in his but she swatted it away. That hurt the fox, who then shoved his paws in his pockets.

'Almost like a bad TV drama,' he noted sadly. 

\---

Most of the family knew better than to interfere with the proceedings, and as such relegated themselves to merely watching from the house windows. Many ears filled the window space of the house and Nick couldn't help but frown at the sight. He didn't want them to see this. Most of the bunnies were younger than Judy and this was their older brother they were arresting; a role model, someone they looked up to. They probably didn't even see what he did as wrong. It wasn't their fault. It was just a tiff between males as they saw it. Their older brother was fighting off the dirty fox that had defiled their sister. This kind of thing happened in the movies all the time and most of the characters just laughed it off. Why should today be any different?

Bonnie and Stu accompanied Judy and Nick to the shed, Alex's usual hangout. They were there more for window dressing than anything else. It was unlikely that they would be able to calm the much larger lapine down if he became hysterical again. But then again, that's why Judy brought her taser.

Alex was again tooling the tractor engine suspended by chains. Nick reasoned it must be the one thing around here that gave the rabbit some peace. The fox could understand that, but was still wise enough to stand behind his partner when he spotted the wrench in Alex's paw.

When he spotted them, Alex turned to acknowledge the large group before he also noticed the belt his sister was wearing. His eyes trailed upwards and met with hers, steely and cold. He sighed with his slight scowl. What was he expecting, for Judy to just let it go? No, she had alway been made of sterner fur and backbone than the rest of the family. And now she was here to arrest him. With that fox at her side.

Alex's scowl deepened when he saw the red fur of the fox's paw resting on Judy's shoulder. He didn't like how he was so comfortable with her, how he touched her with his dirty paws. His thoughts lingered darker for a moment and he clenched his fists. Now wasn't the time. Judy could easily flatten him into a rusty pancake and he was already in enough trouble as it was. He dropped the tool with a clatter in the kit at his feet and stood to his full height.

Nick recognized the residual anger from their tussle still playing off the larger rabbits features. His expression was stuck in its perpetual frown and his ears still stood like two watchtowers scanning for their next quarry. When Nick thought of it, Alex almost seemed more predatory than him, and he was a fox. Inwardly Nick wondered if Alex felt any sort of remorse for his actions. From what he could tell the giant buck seemed his usual glowering self with no trace of guilt showing, not even in his eyes, a feature Nick could usually read with skill and pride. Alex was stalwart and unmoving and that was still an intimidating factor to the fox. He absently rubbed his ribs. 

If Judy was suffering under any emotional turmoil she didn't let it show. When her brother walked over to her wiping his paws with a rag like he had days ago she couldn't help but wonder how things might have turned out if she had just been open with everyone. Maybe her brother wouldn't have been so volatile if they had just told him and everyone else about Nick. Maybe the two of them could have even been friends. But that was in the past, another life to consider for later. For now, she had a job to do.

"You here to arrest me?" Alex's gruff voice cut through the silence.

Judy could do no more than frown at his words. She nodded.

"Yes." After a brief pause where she seemed to lose further words Judy looked back up at her brother with cold steel in her eyes. She held up the cuffs.

"You going to make this difficult for yourself?" she asked with dire sincerity, her tone almost daring the rabbit to try something.

The buck nodded to himself, pursing his lips as if he was unsure of his decision. With what Nick finally interpreted as resignation Alex held out his wrists.

Judy expertly slapped the cuffs over one wrist and turned him around, twisting his other arm around his back and cuffing that one as well.

"Alex Hopps, you are under arrest for assault and attempted murder. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney..."

Nick didn't hear the rest of the familiar spiel. He was too busy looking at his side at the parents watching their boy being taken away from them. Bonnie crossed her arms and covered her mouth, barely holding back tears. Stu seemed to be deserving of more credit than what Judy gave him; he was holding his expression resolute despite the slight quiver of his mouth and the wet shine over his eyes.

Alex was pushed past the fox, careful to throw another intense glare in Nick’s direction before being guided further outside by the careful paw of his sister at his back. Nick flexed a frown and followed after the cabal of rabbits that left first. 

Once outside all decorum for privacy was dropped by the Hopps clan in favor of being able to see what was on everyone's mind. Alex stopped for a moment when he saw all of the faces of his family staring back at him. He tried to straighten his back but the cuffs negated any attempt at pride from the bunny. He succeeded only in looking like even more of a brute, now chained and being taken where he probably belonged: in a pen with the other animals. 

Judy would not let their looks deter her, though she did not want her brothers and sisters to see her job in this light; as something meant only to take away from their family, even if it was being taken by their family. The badge was meant to protect animals, to provide security and order in a world that desperately needed good mammals to do so. They would understand one day that this was necessary, that Alex had pushed his luck too far and had to face the consequences of his actions like an honorable rabbit. So Judy held her head high hoping that some of her siblings could see her purpose in a light that was positive in some sense of the word.

Nick had emerged not long after the heads of the Hopps family had left the barn. The fox stopped past the door scanning over the scene presented to him, for him.

Most of the older rabbits understood what was going on and most did not seem happy about it. They held their faces in various states of tapered distaste or grim understanding. None looked at the fox with these expressions which was a small relief to said fox, but he could see where this was all aimed at. They were looking at Alex. 

Everyone stared at him with upset, like they were painfully aware of the severity of what he had done. None stopped the procession of the small gray bunny taking away their respected brother. Even Bonnie, who wasn't the biggest fan of her daughter dating a fox, was standing by allowing Judy to take away her son, a rabbit who shared in her closed off beliefs.

That's when Nick saw it. As Judy marched him to the house in front of Alex's family, in front of his brothers and sisters, his parents, when he was brought to bare before everyone that respected and loved him, that's when Alex turned to look the fox in the eye. Nick didn't see anger, or murderous contempt.

What he saw was shame. 

Nick knew where his partner was coming from. He had been to the academy too, felt the same sense of justice and perhaps even took the lessons to heart in a deeper, albeit different degree than Judy. But he could also see the cracks forming and it was all too familiar. The disappointment on a parent's face. Young kits that wondered where their big brother had gone. It wasn't as harsh as it could be, no, but it was already too much in common for the fox to want to see again.

Nick sighed. His mind was made up, and this couldn't go on.

"Carrots," he said catching up to the bunny and stopping her wrist with his paw, "wait."

"Nick, I'm making an arrest here," she said solemnly. "I have to do this."

"No, you don't."

They stood in silence for a spell before Judy followed her fox's sullen eyes to her family standing before the house. She looked back to the vulpine, her brow quirked with understanding and a hint of ire before roughly tugging downwards on the chain linking the paw cuffs making her much larger brother sit shamefully on the lawn.

She crossed her arms.

"You can't just let this go because of them," she jerked her head towards the family full of lapine faces shadowed with sadness.

"It's not because of them," Nick replied moving behind Alex and offering his paw for the key. "It's because of me."

She eyed his paw but refused to budge, looking back to him.

"Why the sudden change of heart? You were on my side just a moment ago."

Nick averted his eyes to his side and clacked his teeth in thought. He looked once more to the plethora of rabbits watching them.

"You might not see it now, but I can," he said remembering the feeling all too well. "I know where this is heading and I've been down that road before. It doesn't end well for the majority of you guys if you up and steal their brother away from them." He sighed letting his shoulders sag and his mask slipped for a moment revealing a trace of the sadness there. "Lotta heartbreak," he added lightly.

Judy's arms tightened their grip on each other. She leaned forward.

"Yeah well he should have thought about that before he threw you out a window, Nick."

Nick decided not to remind her of his stance on that detail but held his point nonetheless. 

"What happened to my family may not have been exactly the same, but the end result certainly was. I don't want to see your family go through anything similar. Especially not when it’ll be a weight on your conscience."

"And your family is so willing to accept me that they would allow this," he gestured to Alex and the rabbits passively standing by, "to happen without any resistance. Heck, even Alex surrendered peacefully." The rabbit in question scowled in the fox's direction but no more than was usual. Nick continued.

"My point is, I don't want you to fracture your family on my account. The secret’s out now. He won't try anything while I'm under your protection and your family's protection. And that's not going to change anytime soon."

Judy's head sank as she mulled over his words. Alex could feel her grip fall to the cuffs and begin to tighten and loosen on the bracelets before she relinquished it altogether. She tossed the key to Nick who caught it easily.

"Here," she said crooking the corner of her mouth, still in thought. "It should be you."

Nick approached the rabbit who stood from his sad sitting and straightened his posture trying to maintain the strong image in front of the family. Nick tilted his head with curiosity at his continued bravado but ultimately forgave it with a shake of his head. With no shortage of false pride Nick unlocked the cuffs and offered them to Judy. She accepted them and slid in by his side, wrapping her arm in his in hopes that it would dissuade her brother from trying anything monumentally stupid.

Alex rubbed his wrists and looked at the fox.

"Why," he stated simply.

Nick shrugged and the rabbit could not read the fox's intentions past his smile. Even if what he said was true, the fox couldn't possibly be that altruistic. Or stupid.

"Go on,” the fox told the buck. “Get out of here."

The rabbit looked to him once more and then to Judy. She shook her head but otherwise showed no resistance to Nicks solution. She waved her brother away.

With one final look at the fox he started to the barn before disappearing behind its heavy doors, shutting them behind him, likely for the privacy to think over what had transpired.

The rest of the bunnies looked around in confusion, unsure of what they had seen. Bonnie and Stu looked just as puzzled but did not stop to question their daughters goodwill.

Nick turned back to Judy and wiped away a fake tear. 

"So."

Judy blinked.

"So."

"Can we try to enjoy the rest of our vacation while we're here?"

Judy shrugged her shoulder. After a heavy sigh she spoke. 

"I think I would like that."

\---

With most of the preparations for departure out of the way Judy decided that she would spend the last few hours of her home vacation openly with Nick, so they set up a long lawn chair in the backyard alongside a side table with a full pitcher of ice cold sweet tea. The bunny sat her fox down in the chair and she snuggled up close to him, nuzzling into his side with a content smile just watching the horizon. 

They enjoyed the silence and privacy. Nick still wasn't 100% on board with kissing Judy in front of her family though.

"You should go talk to Alex," Nick said taking a sip from his glass.

Judy sighed quietly from her spot.

"I should arrest him is what I should do. He tried to kill you, Nick."

"Yeah but you have to look at it from his perspective. Bigoted or," Nick paused with the cup halfway to his lips, which curled into a sly smile as he slipped a joke in, "...knot, I am the fox that's schtupping his sister. And regardless of my devilishly handsome looks and being blessed with supreme genetics, I can understand why he's 'upset' let's call it."

"Why the sudden compassion for him? You guys weren't getting along and that's before he made you fall out a window."

Nick shrugged and Judy wished she could see his vulpine brain working behind his sunglasses.

"I guess it's just a male thing. That or I'm just a really empathetic person," he grinned looking at the bunny. Judy gently pushed his muzzle away and Nick chuckled. From behind his shades he let his eyes flash seriously for a moment. "Wouldn't you be upset if your unusual, one of a kind sister that you've watched over her entire life just up and starts dating someone you would never approve of?"

"Nick." Judy sat on her knees and faced the fox fully. "He threw you out a second story window. You can't just expect me to let that go." Her head fell and to fight the thought she held her arms out expectantly, looking back up to the fox with a sad expression.

Nick set his glass down and stowed his shades next to it before embracing his partner. Judy rubbed her head into him, placing a soft peck on his chest before replacing her head there. Nick simply smoothed the back of her head gently.

"I could have lost you," she said.

"I know, honeybun. I know." He didn't want her to be afraid of what might have been. How one stupid mistake of a big, dumb rabbit could have cost Judy a partner and that rabbit in question everything. But Nick was fine now with all of his pieces more or less intact, and there was no reason to let her relationship with her brother suffer.

Her voice once again cut through the air, this time in a questionable whimper.

"Why, Nick? Why are you being so forgiving?"

"Because I've forgiven mammals for doing me a lot worse than what he did. And I wake up every morning and thank my lucky stars that I still have you there with me regardless of the odds against us."

He pulled back to look at his bunny. And when he saw the building tear in her eye he quickly wiped it away hoping to replace it with a smile. So he did, by gently caressing her cheek, running his other paw down her shoulder, framing her face ever so carefully, and quietly pressing his lips against hers.

In an instant Judy felt the fear of losing him wash away. The background noise faded out and for a brief, wonderful moment all that was real was on the breadth of his lips touching hers. She melted into him and let her paw tilt his head further into her mouth as she yearned to deepen the kiss, letting her tongue move in for the lightest of touch against his. Nick giggled giddily into her and Judy smiled and punched his chest as he ruined the moment with his schoolgirl attitude. She still hugged him though, and he still rubbed her back languidly. 

"You two shouldn't grow apart because of a little tiff between guys."

Judy was about to object to his terminology and use of the word tiff when Nick saw the way the wind was blowing and talked over her.

"AND, I'm hoping you can get him to understand if you just talk to him."

"You're afraid to see him."

"Well yeah. Am I that easy to read?"

"No, but your tail stiffens every time we mention him."

Nick was trying to play devil's advocate but even he knew when he was laying it on a bit thick.

"He attacked me when I was naked, Carrots. Who does that?"

"Usually only me."

"Oh hah hah."

\---

Alex was sitting quietly in the shop. He wasn't working on the tractor, or tooling the engines around the property; he was sat still simply waiting. When Judy walked in and saw him she couldn't tell if his expression showed disappointment or bitter expectancy towards punishment. Maybe it was both.

"I should arrest you, you know."

He raised his head to meet her eyes, full of caution and contempt for her lover's attacker. Alex sneered.

"I'm sure that fox would love to see that."

"Oddly enough Nick is the one who convinced me to let you go." She shrugged but didn't let her frown drop. "Go figure."

"Don't jerk me around, Jude. What does that stupid fox really want, huh?"

Judy's voice went cold.

"Listen here. I don't need to talk to you. I could just slap some cuffs on you and tie you to a flagpole for the sheriff to pick up. I'm not going to do that, but if you keep referring to Nick in that way I will be all too happy to show you the business end of my foot again."

Alex hung his head quietly, before looking back up at her and waving to continue.

"Nick doesn't want you and me to grow apart just because I'm dating him."

He harrumphed and Judy struggled not to let out an exasperated huff. 

"I never needed your approval to date anyone, Alex. That was never for you to decide."

"For some reason Nick is willing to let bygones be bygones." She paused. "He's afraid of you, you've accomplished that much, but at the cost of my trust. Strangely, that bothers my boyfriend more than the fact that he fell two stories out a window naked." She rolled her eyes. Alex merely held his silence so Judy continued.

"I would like for you two to get along. I'm not asking for you to be friends with him, I'm not asking for you to like him, but he's important to me and so are you. So one day I want you to at the very least apologize for trying to kill him and shake his paw like a respectable mammal."

Judy turned to leave before another idea graced her mind and she spun on her heels to once more face her brother.

"And you're going to get some damn help for that anger problem of yours or so help me I will march all the way back down here and cuff you to the back of the tractor while it’s running. Do not mistake my tolerance for forgiveness."

Judy let her words hang in the air for a spell before she added her final statement. 

"Maybe you should just realize he's not a bad mammal. Give him a chance."

When there was no response Judy nodded to herself, content, or as close as she could be to content with her discussion. She turned and disappeared through the shop door without another peep.

Alex watched her leave, and when she was finally gone he let his head hang low. He shook his shoulders and wiped his paw down his muzzle. His eyes again fell to the door his sister had exited. 

"....maybe. One day."

\---

After the soft resolution of Alex's attack that openly broadcasted Nick and Judy's relationship, Nick had been offered a one-on-one talk with Stu.

"Let's go for a walk," Stu had said with a smile. "Just you and me."

Judy had wanted to tag along. After Alex having disagreed with their relationship so vehemently she hadn't wanted to leave the fox's side, especially alone with her father. It more for his own protection than anything else.

But Nick had known this was coming; the inevitable "dating my daughter" talk. He kissed Judy on the head, reluctantly in front of everyone no less, and said that this was something that needed to be done, and it was with a heavy heart that Nick let go of her paw and left her with a worried expression on her face. Oh how those eyes saddened him to see her in that way.

Stu had led them out to the pond on the other side of the field, an isolated location, Nick had noticed the quiet nature of their surroundings, but then again Papa Hopps also wasn't carrying a shotgun so this was progress. When they stopped at the edge of the water, passive waves lapping at the bank, Nick realized this was the same pond from last night and a healthy blush ran under his fur. In the morning the walk had seemed much further than the short trip that Nick and Stu took. But perhaps that was Judy's smile that made the fox lose track of time.

For a moment they just stood in silence, either out of respect for the other, or reluctance to move the conversation forward. Finally Stu broke the silence with a memory.

"Ya know, me and Bonnie used to sit here all the time when we first got together." He chuckled to himself. "We don't make it out here as much we ought to anymore, but we still make a point to make the time for each other."

Nick grimaced in his mind. This was a special place for Stu and Nick might have defiled it with his foxy charm. He hoped that the old rabbit hadn't spent time with his wife in the same way Nick had made time with Judy. That would just be...unsettling. 

"We might not look it but we still love each other very much after all this time. I hope you can see where I'm going with this, Nick."

Nick nodded and gulped back a nervous chuckle.

"So you and Judy huh?"

Nick blinked like he hadn't heard him right. He could have sworn Stu had said “Nick and Judy”, almost like he was actually okay with them dating. 

 

"I uh," Nick rubbed the scruff of his neck. "Yeah."

Stu mimed his motion, sharing in the uncomfort of the situation.

"She um...said she loves you"

"Uh, yeah." He chuckled uneasily. "That's what she tells me."

Stu flexed a quick frown on his muzzle and Nick winced. The fox tried to force a wide grin but that didn't seem to make the situation any less awkward.

'Way to go, Wilde, you're really making yourself out to be a real charmer,' he thought.

"I uh, know I might not seem like it," Stu began, resting his thumbs through the loops of his overalls, "but I've had this talk before. A couple hundred kids gives you a lot of time to develop a routine."

"I know you're expecting me to pick up the pitchfork and give you a lap around the house, but I'm not gonna do that. You've earned that much with your good manners and you've been respectful of the boundaries presented here."

'Not entirely,' Nick thought inwardly to the previous day and to his "excursion" with Judy. He didn't need to let it show.

“That and the remarkable amount of restraint you showed with Alex today helps your case a bunch.”

Nick opened his mouth to speak.

“And," Stu said cutting him off, "my son did throw you out of a window so I should go easy on you,” he added finally.

Nick nodded with a conciliatory gaze and a shrug.

"Now despite my wealth of experience, when it comes to Judy she's different. Special, you might say."

Nick nodded and piped up. "I agree with you there, sir."

"Listen son," Stu started, twisting his hat in his paws. "I learned a long time ago that Judy is going to do what she's going to do and there ain't no force in this world that can stop her. I know this better than anyone. I'm her father for pete's sake. So I'm gonna be honest with you."

Nick prepared himself for the worst. The brimstone. The fire. But it never came.

"I know that I can't stop you from seeing my daughter. Truth be told, I'm not entirely sure I want to. From what I've seen of you, Nick, you're a decent fox, and a good mammal."

"I also know that she's never done anything boneheaded or stupid. If she sees something in you, I can take it on faith that it's real."

Nick postured and slid his paws in his pockets.

"You're not weirded out by us?"

Stu took a moment and gesticulated his paws.

"It's....different I'll admit, but if I know Judy she's thought it through more than once and she sees something there." He smiled. "Me and her mother never could get Judy interested in any of the nice bucks from around the county. She kept to herself in that regard. You must be something really special to her."

"Judy's happiness is on the front of my mind. You keep on keeping her safe and we won't have any problems, ye' hear?"

It was a strange feeling, gaining the approval of his girlfriend's father. Nick could only imagine how Stu felt now, having to give away his special girl. It was nothing so dramatic, but Nick recognized the significance of this moment. He had feared the twelve gauge, the electric crackle of the fox taser, but now he feared losing the respect that he had garnered from Mr. Hopps. He was trusting the fox, trusting him to take care of his daughter. Nick felt that a threat was an easier fix for the problem; an army of ready rabbits like Alex at his beck and call and Nick would quickly have taken advantage of that. But Stu took the high road, something Nick hadn't expected, and he was grateful for it. If the fox could say anything to further set the rabbits mind at ease he would. So he tried.

"I love her. She gave me a life I thought I would never have, and saved me from one I didn't need anymore. I want you to know that I respected her far before I even knew what I felt towards her and that I would never betray that. I would be a fool to think otherwise."

Nick slid his paws back in his pockets and straightened his posture.

"Sometimes I think she's too good for me. That she can do much better than a crummy fox like me. But Judy never thought so. She's always believed in me. Says that I'm right for her. I'll work everyday to prove her right; to give her the life that she deserves. Sir."

The elderly rabbit turned back and Nick spotted the telltale shimmer of tears in his eyes. Now he wasn't sure what to feel. He had spoken from the heart. He truly felt that way about her. Now he only hoped that what he had said was enough.

Stu sniffled.

"That's all I wanted to hear, son." He sniffed and wiped at his nose. "Cripes, here come the waterworks again."

Nick’s only thought before Stu embraced him in a fatherly hug was 'oh dear', and then the rabbit arms were around him and the fox didn't dare try to resist.

\---

Judy didn't know where Nick was, and that terrified her.

After their talk about Alex she had left to convince her brother of Nick’s strength of character. And when she was sure that would be enough time to talk to her father only for her to return and find their chair empty.

So when Nick had returned without a scratch Judy had leapt straight into his arms the moment his form walked through the living room door. She was ecstatic that he was safe and relieved that her dad had also returned, and smiling no less.

"How did it go?" she asked looking between them with her paws resting on Nick’s arms and quickly surmising where they had been. 

The fox looked to the rabbit who had honorably earned his respect and Stu nodded knowingly back.

"Just fine, Jude," said Stu. "You've got yourself a fine mammal here. I would hold onto him."

"Your pop signed off on me. I got my papers and everything," he joked and Judy shook her head with tears building in her eyes. She hugged back into him rubbing her face against his chest.

"You big, stupid fox," she cried with a sniffling smile. Nick hesitated to rest his paw on her back until she pulled back and he saw the joy in her smile, how her eyes watered with sincere tears of unbridled mirth. He let his paw fall to her back and he fully embraced her with the whole of his body, wrapping his arms around and planting a quick kiss on her cheek.

"I told you they'd be okay with you," she lied with her voice wavering. Nick merely shook his head and let her have this one. She hadn't dared dream of this moment and yet here it was. They were being accepted and with little to no conflict. Speaking of which, Nicks ribs ached slightly at the coiling rabbit arms around him but not enough to make a deal out of it.

It wasn't long before the time to leave was fast approaching. Jade had (without asking) packed Judy and Nick's things and set their suitcases by the front door, ready to leave on a moment's notice.

Meanwhile the majority of the family was lounging about outside on a wonderful country afternoon. The had made a comeback sun high in the sky, the wind was cooling, and the skies were perfect for cloud watching. So it was no surprise that everyone would happily lay in the grass, periodically pointing out funny shapes in the great blue expanse.

Judy on the other hand had pulled Nick to the edge of the yard once more to the shade of a nearby oak. They sat peacefully under the shade of it's branches, quietly enjoying the calm they had earned after so much tension with their secret keeping.

Yes, this respite was decidedly well earned.

Judy sat crisscrossing her legs, her body rocking along with the gentle breeze. Nick joined at her side, his tail wagging at the tranquility of the scene before them.

Judy stole a quick glance to her side with a smile before leaning back to look above the pair. 

"Earlier...with Alex." She paused and thought hard on what she wanted to say. "I said I don't belong to anyone."

Nick smiled and shoved his paws in his pockets.

"Well of course not. You're a strong independent bunny. The strongest I know, in fact."

"But it wasn't true."

Nick blinked, unsure if what she said was what he had heard.

"Huh?"

"I belong to you, Nick. I always have."

Judy had always been the stronger between the two of them. She also was prone to standing on her own two feet without assistance from anyone, and she was good at it too.

Something in Nick stirred. Right above his stomach, in the pit of his chest something lurched and burned upwards till his lips quivered and his eyes watered. 

He was at a loss for what to say. 

"I-, Oh." His lips quivered and his eyes watered. 

The fox hadn't expected to hear those words from that bunny's beautiful voice, or if he did hear them he didn't expect them to sound as sweet as they did. ‘Honied’ didn't seem appropriate, that would have implied a tone of deception in his mates words. Nick didn't sense any of that. All he could see in her eyes was sparkling sincerity, and he wanted to collapse into her strong arms and never let her go.

Nick didn't see himself as the best cop. He wasn't even the best fox, shifty or not. He had mucked up a fair amount since they had gotten together and that only served to deepen the wellspring of discontent swirling in his gut. 

But hearing Judy say those words, those were the reasons he got up every day. To hear his love say things like that. Judy gave him such reckless affection when he needed it most and even when he didn't. He never had to ask for her love, she simply gave it. If it was anyone else the feeling might've seemed hollow, or of lesser value. But it was Judy's love that made Nick feel like he could do anything, that he was a good cop, that he was a good fox, no, a good animal.

He hoped he could work to deserve those words.

"You sweet talking, sentimental bunny..." he choked out trying to compose himself.

Judy looked longingly at the trees, eyes sparkling with contentment. She knew what the words meant to him; it was precisely why she had said them. And she meant every last one of them. She smiled away from him.

"I like to come out here and see the leaves. The colors are always so pretty."

The fox followed her gaze to the flecks of green flowing on the breeze. They were in fact a pleasant sight to behold, and a picture Nick wasn't always privy to in the hustle and bustle of the city, but they couldn't compare to to the bunny before him. As such, the hidden meaning was lost on him, but he didn't care.

"They're just green now, Carrots."

"Yes well, you know I've been coming around to that color, even with that dreadful shirt you like to wear so much trying to make me think otherwise."

"I thought you hated that shirt?"

"Not on you. Never on you.” She tilted her head over her shoulder in his direction, her ears lilting to the side with the motion. “You're also my fox whether you like it or not."

"I know, my sweet and wonderful honeybun. I have the stamp on my butt to prove it."  
he cocked an eyebrow. “Not that I'm complaining.”

She turned to the fox against her side, her gaze keeping the still happiness. But it also added love to the mix, it always did when she looked at him. She moved in closer to Nick letting a paw lay on his chest. The touch had its desired effect and Judy could feel him tingle beneath her fingers.

"Judy..." he said looking bashfully at the random rabbits around them. "Your family is watching."

She moved ever closer lifting her other paw to his shoulder, tracing it up along his muzzle, her lips hovering above his and her breath teasing them.

"Let them see. They don't look at me like you do."

So they let everyone see. No longer did they have to hold back their feelings in the here and now of the farm. And when their lips joined to practice the delicate dance they had mastered so thoughtfully in private, they forgot where they were, and not a single animal bearing witness thought that their love was anything short of magical. After all, how unique was it for a fox to find love with a bunny, and of such a different ilk to boot?

Bonnie Hopps looked on with growing acceptance building in her heart. Stu Hopps laid eyes upon them and felt a semblance of pride brimming within himself. Juniper was glad to know that her sister wasn't as weird as she had made herself out to be, and that she had nailed down a wonderful mammal like Nick to boot. And Jade, even she couldn't help but crack a smile at their pure romance. If they could find love maybe there was hope out there for someone as unusual as her.

Nick cupped his paw behind Judy's head and he broke the kiss only to rub his cheek affectionately against hers, marking her with his scent before he dove back into her lips with another sweet taste of fox for her tongue. Judy did the same, chinning against the top of his muzzle and returning his love with a gentle paw stroke of his neck. The fuzzy feeling in her chest bloomed into a wonderful rose whose deep color only brightened with each second they spent together, and Judy knew that one day she would ask him to spend the rest of his life with her; only then would she truly give him everything she had to give, and then she would feel that was sufficient reward for the fox she cherished. But for now, she was content enough to to simply kiss him once more.

And that was more than enough.

 

\---

Oh, no, and that's how summer passed  
Oh, your, great dividing range, the green green grass  
Oh, maybe it was peace at last, who knew

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know I was underground for a few weeks but I wanted everyone to know that I'm A-OK and I'm gonna keep up writing. Moving forward it's mostly going to be a few fluffy one-shots that I have brewing and hopefully I won't take NEARLY as long. It's only cuz I was writing off and on and now I'm justifying mrmrmrmrmr......
> 
> Thanks to Erinnyes for all his help in supporting and pre reading all my bunk. You guys don't know what kind of a lifesaver he is:)


	26. Peace at Last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay guys. It's been a while since I've been able to write consistently after my mojo took a hit but I'm working on getting back into the swing of things. This is the last chapter of this story. I've decided to make the one shot story another separate venture so that way this can be it's own concise piece. 
> 
> Before we get started I wanted to thank DrummerMax64, without which this story would apparently have NO COMMAS, ADeadMissionary for being a stern but fair voice of reason and amicable guiding hand, and of course my ever loyal friend Erinnyes for encouraging and providing the base for me to churn this butterball out. I couldn't have done it without him. 
> 
> Enough window dressing. Let's crack on.

\---

Judy kept her paw glued to Nick's for the entirety of the train ride home. She wasn't going to let any mishap like their departure happen again; he was stuck with her for the ride home, and happily he might've added had Judy been able to read his thoughts. Though with the way she seemed to complement his way of living and regular routine, Nick would think that she could, in fact, read his mind. He would have to run a little thought experiment on that later. 

Nick instantly understood the motives behind Judy's sudden clingy nature and cheerfully guided her perky ears to the observation bubble atop the cars. When they found the deck to be (luckily) empty, Nick’s muzzle curled into a quick smile that Judy noticed with her ever present gaze stealing peeks at his splendid face. She recognized that look and her brows drew into a line.

Judy pointed her free paw up at him.

"What're you planning, Slick? And don't try and hide it behind that smug smile of yours. I know when you're lying."

Nick’s lips pursed tightly as he stifled a chuckle. He gathered his composure with a quick clearing of his throat and retained his smile.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, I assure you," he chimed with curt frankness.

Right on cue the train jerked forward and began its trip back to the city. Judy shook her head at the fox but let him play his game. Whatever harebrained inkling had managed to creep into his noggin was bound to be at best innocent and at worst more annoying than nefarious. Given how tense their vacation had been, the bunny didn’t think there were high odds of Nick doing anything too extreme. And so it was that Judy pulled her fox shaped luggage by his paw and her actual suitcase to the bench at the rear of the bubble and settled in for the long ride back home.

\---

With the bunny snoozing, quietly snuggled up and curled around his fluffy tail, Nick waited out the ride in relative bliss. He reflected on the pleasant events of the weekend, how Judy and he had managed to not only earn the admiration and respect of at least one of the heads of the Hopps family, but also most everyone else there as well. Suffice to say, despite the… rough patches, Nick reasoned the trip had been worth it. With the revelation of their relationship to Judy's parents, a small weight was lifted from his conscience. He needn't worry about what might've been, it was no longer his or Judy's concern. The rest of today was smooth sailing.

Nick leaned back against the soft headrest of his chair. An ear twitched as his hearing focused in the direction of the soft breaths coming from his lover beside him. He turned to simply observe her resting beauty and sighed happily at what he saw.

While Judy Hopps would likely have inflicted bodily harm on Nick for saying so, this wasn’t the first time he’d caught her being so adorable that it was all he could do not to pinch her cheeks and eat her up. Her arms were curled around the bushy russet fur of his tail, holding firmly but gently in her grip, while she rested her face near the tapering end of his brush shaped end. The darkened fur that made up the tip was nuzzled softly against her face, and Nick couldn't resist a soft twitch against her nose. The movement made her button nose twitch in turn, and with a smile she gripped tighter around his fluff and sought out his scent with her face.

He had wanted to allow her to sleep but his window was fast approaching, and so it was with a gentle stroke over her head and down her flattened ears that Nick cooed an awakening to his beautiful companion.

"Carrots," he whispered, a smile gracing his features at her nickname. "It's time to wake up. We're almost home."

She murmured and nestled her cheeks further into his fuzzy tail, trying in vain to hide her adorable features from Nick's greedy eyes.

"Five more minutes."

"No can do, Honeybun. I believe it was you who said that you wanted to see the city with me." He tugged his tail to allow it to slip from her grasp, but Judy's paws followed after it with sadness at the denial of her favorite snuggle buddy.

With a little more coaxing from the fox, Judy had managed to wipe away the grogginess from her eyes. The ride had been more comfortable than she had expected, though, with the addition of Nick's tail as a pillow, that should have been obvious.

The fox in question had risen from his seat and moved to the window, patiently awaiting the picturesque visage of Zootopia to slide into frame. Nick looked over his shoulder at his bun and opened his palm towards her. Judy read his jovial eyes easily and joined him, sliding her paw into his.

It was just as she had hoped, and despite Nick’s earlier plan to make the moment romantic, even he was taken aback by the charm and beauty of the home he hadn't seen from the outside since he was a kit.

When she was leaving the city, Judy had been afraid that she would not be able to share this vision of Zootopia with Nick. She wanted her boyfriend to come and see the city the way she saw it: as a shining beacon for animals everywhere that they could be anything, and not only that, but also as the city where she had made her home, realized her dream, and found a love she couldn't live without.

Standing in the observation bubble with the fox at her side, Judy was delighted to see the image of the city sweep into view past the obscuring hills and for Nick’s grip on her paw to suddenly slacken. She turned to him to see Nick's eyes soften at the sight of glistening towers silhouetted against a clear blue sky, and Judy could feel some of his cynicism melt away for a second. 

From where he stood, Nick felt something change in him. He had never really travelled outside of the city; his eagerness to do so when they left was solely the creation of Judy's infectious strength and his willingness to do just that for her, to leave the place he had been raised in, a place he had never ventured outside of, for her. That being said, the city was also something that had dragged the fox into a darkness he thought he would never rise from. Nick had been right when he said that the city could break you down, make you feel like you were nothing more than the sum of your parts and everything that mammals saw you as.

Judy had changed that mindset for him. When he saw the city his gut didn't twist in cynical disgust, nor did he sneer in the slightest. From out here on the train he could see the air of hope that Judy identified in the wondrous spectacle the horizon conveyed. As a small gray furred paw curled around the pads of his paw, Nick knew he was home.

When the train passed through the various biomes that made up the city, Nick wrapped his arm around his bunny's waist, happily watching the flurry of colors pass them by. The fox thought that perhaps on their next vacation they might try something closer to home; perhaps sledding in Tundratown or a romantic sky ride through the Rainforest District. Regardless of the venue, he knew that Judy would love whatever he put together for her.

Right on cue they passed through the Rainforest District, and as a shower of artificial rain cascaded over the bubble, Nick seized the waning wonder of the moment to create another cherished memory. 

The welcome tingle of Nick's presence on her waist suddenly turned exciting as Nick moved his paw, causing her to lean back, and while Judy was startled at his sudden movement, the fox bent his knee and dipped the bunny over till she was parallel with the ground. Judy looked up at his face hovering over hers but for a moment before she accepted the situation and pulled Nick's lips to hers.

She loved when he did things like this, and it was more often than she had expected when they initially started dating. Nick enjoyed setting up movie grade moments to impress his bunny, whether it be having the lights on a building form a heart (a feat which Judy still didn't know how he had pulled off), or meeting in a hotel bar pretending to be secret agents only to engage in a secret “rendezvous” of their own. Nick was the single most thoughtful animal Judy had ever met, and it was never a dull moment when he was around. 

The land passed the couple by as they maintained their kiss and, while the train ride ended before they knew it, the kiss held strong for what seemed to be a welcome eternity. They finally broke it only once the announcements said that the train was preparing to depart once more. With a mutual snuggling of their noses over the other's, they exited.

When they disembarked, Nick took his steps at a slow and deliberate pace, as if the platform might “accidentally” disappear from under his feet again. He tried to keep the display subtle, but he knew that was a lost cause when he heard the telling music of Judy giggling at his less than gracious display. Nick merely straightened his tie and walked past her with as much machismo as he could muster. Judy rolled her eyes and followed after him through the station and out onto the courtyard outside.

They didn't have a lot of time before work was to begin again for the week, and the sun was already threatening its disappearance behind the skyline. Judy frowned at the brilliant orange high above them and lazily leaned her head against her boyfriend’s arm as they walked.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

Nick snuck a quick glance to his side but otherwise kept his usual jovial expression.

"Of course you can, my sweet, delectable Honeybun," was his overly enthused reply, though he was curious as to what she had to say.

Judy rubbed her head into him, steering his stride a little before Nick easily corrected it.

"Promise not to tell?"

Her voice retained the easygoing nature of the day, which gave Nick no reason to be concerned, so he sheathed his store of emergency worry in his mind.

"Only if it's not super duper embarrassing."

She looked downwards with a small smile before she closed her eyes and mumbled something. It was the cutest, most bashful sound Nick could possibly imagine, and he fought the urge to let loose an audible "Aww".

"I'm sorry, you're gonna have to speak up instead of using your secret rabbit cute speech."

She groaned up at him, still smiling.

"I kinda sorta...don't want to go to work tomorrow."

Nick stopped dead in his tracks while Judy kept moving, causing her to stumble past his shoulder and chest before she caught her footing. She looked back at the fox, who was staring at her as if she had grown another ear out of her head.

"What?" Judy ventured with a small butterfly in her stomach.

His smile widened with a smirk that might've started the sun shining all over again. And Judy knew that if she didn't want her fox to poke fun at her, then she had made a tiny mistake in letting that little tidbit out in the open. It didn't help that she felt a small pang of guilt from the thought alone. But she held her head high, and with a quick shake of her tail she forced a wide smirk of her own, trying to remain casual.

She failed in almost every sense of the word.

"You," Nick pointed, "you don't want to go to work." His paw fell to his hip. "You, the bunny who wakes me up every morning with a phone call two hours before we even need to show up. You, who, failing that, somehow manages to keep setting my alarms and changing the password so I can't turn them off and we can go to a job that you enjoy talking about even when we're not on the clock.”

"Well I--" she started before being tutted by Nick's snarky voice.

"You, who bugs me for complaining about when we write tickets, or when we have to pull a late stakeout, or escort a parade, or chase down Weselton for the umpteenth time."

"It's uh, it's Weaselton," Judy piped up from his thoughtful barrage.

Nick waved the correction away with a brow raised over a growing, smug smirk.

"And you don't want to go?" He shivered through his smile. "Now I know I'm dreaming."

Judy rubbed her arm and fought to look anywhere but at the emerald eyes that would see straight through her.

"I mean, yeah." She straightened as she found her rock solid reasoning, an excuse she truly felt was a sufficient enough answer for wanting to skip out on her dream job, which she did cherish. There was just one thing she cherished slightly more.

"It's just that, we didn't get to spend a lot of time relaxing like we wanted. I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but I was really looking forward to that before we left." She let her head list to the side and her eyes wandered. "And tomorrow we have to go back to work... It'll be a while before we have some extra time off again."

Nick’s smile faded away when Judy's ears slowly fell to her back as she became lost in thought. He had wanted nothing more than to spend time with her, relaxing, perhaps riding out the rest of the weekend on the couch. But that blasted phone call roped them into a long weekend of family drama and quibbling around the idea of their romantic relationship to a family of seemingly close-minded bunny rabbits. Still, there had been some quiet moments where the dust had settled and they were left with some time to themselves, but that was merely in passing. What Judy yearned for was a time allotted just for the two of them, and as the thought crystallized in the fox's mind, an idea was put on the fast track.

"I guess it can't be helped," Judy sighed, grabbing hold of her suitcase handle and wheeling it to be moved. "I'll call you when I get back, Nick. I lo--"

Judy had started towards the bus station, but her sentence and her walk were cut short by a russet paw gently tugging at hers.

"Did you pack your spare uniform?"

Judy looked to her luggage and back at him.

"Well, of course I did."

The air hung still for a moment before his next words.

"Let's go to my place," Nick smiled softly.

"What about my luggage?" Judy said, looking down at her suitcase.

The fox shrugged and looked away, blushing at his next words.

"You wanted to move in...why not leave it there, with me?"

He looked back to see his girlfriend’s eyes glittering up at him, and the blush being barely contained under his red fur spiked to dangerous levels of embarrassment. 

Judy hadn't expected him to jump at her idea of moving in so quickly; she had expected an adjustment period before they even started making steps towards that goal. But here he was, already hankering to keep the bunny in his den. And she felt like kissing him in front of everyone.

She settled for pulling his tie down and pecking him on the lips. She pressed her lips with such speed and enthusiasm that her foot lifted off the ground, and Judy felt that she had perfectly executed a storybook moment with her dumb fox.

Nick sputtered for a moment but quickly recovered from his initial shock and pecked back at his bunny. Judy pulled away, her fingers still holding his tie, and she covered her mouth in astonishment at Nick's blushing features.

Nick didn't dare look back into her eyes lest he dive back in for another swim in their violet depths. He turned his head away in a vain attempt to cover the blush shooting to the tips of his ears.

"Let's uh," he cleared his throat, "let's go home, Carrots." He tugged the hem of his shirt, straightening it before standing back to his full height. Judy let her hold slide from his tie till her palm lingered on his chest.

"Home it is," she said with a beaming smile.

\---

"Mi casa es..." he stopped halfway down the entrance hall and waved his paw through the air. "Aw you've heard it before. Now we just gotta fill out the paperwork."

Judy trailed behind him into the living room, bussing her luggage by the coffee table and collapsing onto the couch with a loud groan. She splayed herself out and laid flat, moving only to turn her head and gaze to the fox that eyed her with joy in his emerald sight.

"Some vacation, huh?"

Nick raised a brow over his smirk and shrugged, moving closer to his bunny.

"If that's your idea of a vacation then I'd hate to see what you consider hard work."

He collapsed into a slouch at her side. Judy nudged her fox with her toes.

"As if I could ever get you to do hard work."

Nick put his paw to his chin in a show of deep thought.

"Mmm," he hummed, "nope. You're right, I'll never work a day in my life."

Before Judy could respond the fox toppled over onto his side, laying his full weight on her lap.

"Nick!" she giggled out. "Come on! Get off me!"

"No can do, Honeybun. I'm dead weight, you said it yourself." He sat his chin up on her belly and looked over her with half lidded eyes. "Best to just wait out the end right here. Oh and look, there's a soft little bunny rabbit to keep me company."

From her spot under his head, Judy halted her struggle. She looked across her chest to see the cuddly fox simply blinking at her through his smile, and Judy couldn't resist giving him a loving scratch behind his ears.

He reacted instantly, his body tensing and then melting against her dull claw scratching out a sweet song for his nerves.

"Uhhh, Judy..." he moaned out. But the rabbit in question ignored his choked pleas for mercy and sat up, pressing her advantage before moving her other paw to tease under his chin.

Nick was caught in euphoric delight, his one flaw being the sensory overload of the weak spots Judy stimulated with her paws. She always did this when she wanted to have a struggle snuggle, or even to just quiet him down when he talked too much. Nick didn't mind. He loved when she did this to him. And he loved her even more for her eager willingness to do it for him.

His leg began to kick off the side of the couch and Judy took that as her cue to move on with the next stage of her sequence. With a sly glint in her eye and her tongue poking out in determination, she moved her right paw from under his chin to trail down his chest. She softly unbuttoned his loud shirt, and when there was sufficient room for her needs, her paw dove into the coarse fur that protruded there. Nick whined like a pup in her paws, his tail wagging excitedly over the cushions. Every now and then it whisked over Judy's arm, another feeling that made her smile wider.

Under her touch Nick struggled to move. It wasn't that he was incapable, it was merely that he was paralyzed by the blissful feeling of her magic fingers on his scalp and chest. If she went any further he felt he might suffer nerve damage and be stuck with a permanent goofy grin on his muzzle.

'So totally worth it,' he thought.

Judy leaned down to his ear and maintained her sensual assault. With a warm whisper in the dark triangles on his head and a smile he could feel, she spoke to him.

"Does my foxy like that?" she cooed.

"Nnnnhnn..."

Judy pulled back to puff a hot breath in his ear, and Nick whined again as his eyes rolled back in his head. She decided to push her torment a step further and gave a soft lap of her tiny tongue on the tip of his ear, making Nick shiver against her.

"I can't hear you..." 

"Mmhmm..."

"What's that?" she whispered once more.

"I looooove youuuu...."

While she was still close, Nick managed to gather his strength and snake his palm to the back of Judy's head, pushing her lips against his. The sudden table turn was a pleasant surprise to the bunny, and she immediately closed her eyes and changed her paw's action from scratching to caressing.

Released from her spell, Nick returned the gesture in kind, cupping her head as her ears dropped and she fell into the kiss. With another motion, the fox turned her on her side to join him on the couch, his lips never leaving hers. Their paws explored as far as they could reach, fox paws arching up the soft back of Judy and teasing the hem of her shirt with his pads, and bunny paws periodically moving to scratch his ears to elicit another quiet moan from her vulpine lover.

Nick broke for breath finally and nuzzled against her cheek for her scent. Judy obliged, marking him once more. It wasn't for anyone else to see, or to smell; this was just for them, for the feeling of love alone and what they meant to each other.

"You," Nick chuckled breathlessly, "should not be allowed to do that all willy nilly."

Judy looked up at him with a pouting expression.

"But it's so fun..."

Nick's reply was for his caressing paw to return the favor and begin scratching behind Judy's prominent ears, which stood at attention before flattening against her back as she pushed back into his trimmed claws.

"I know it is," Nick cooed with smug pride.

Judy's eyes rolled back as she nuzzled against his scratching fingers, his touch bringing pure ecstasy. She let out a small moan and Nick hugged her closer to him.

"You know what would be really great right about now?" Nick said with his muzzle nearing hers. 

Judy let her eyes open halfway, transfixed by the attractive fox seemingly once more preparing himself to dive his tongue back into her mouth.

"Yeah?" Judy whispered expectantly, letting her lips twitch towards his.

Nick's breath barely teased her fur when his smile showed itself once more.

"We can go to the bedroom...spend some quality time together."

"Oh yeah?"

Nick nodded.

"Yeah," and he let his tongue give one long, sensual lick over her cheek.

Judy was beginning to like this more canine behavior, and she shivered at the wet rustle against her fur.

"How about," Judy reached her arms up and wrapped them around his neck, drawing his wet nose close till it touched hers, "instead of just having another round of lovemaking, we take it easy for a while and maybe enjoy a hot bath?" She tilted her head. "You get a little relaxation after such a tough time with my family, and I get to spend time with my favorite fox. Besides, I think you deserve a little pampering."

Nick's features fell for a moment, but his smile quickly rose again at Judy's words. She licked her lips.

"And I bet I can make up for the stressful weekend," she whispered.

Nick's eyes turned into saucers, and he gulped back to prevent his grin from turning stupid wide. 

"And then the bedroom?" he managed to make out shakily.

"And then the bedroom," Judy happily parroted.

Nick cleared his throat and regained his slick smile.

"Then pamper away, my sweet."

Nick stood without another word and scooped up the bunny in his arms. Despite Judy's offer to treat the fox, Nick never passed up an opportunity to hold her close, especially if it meant he held the whole of her fluffiness in his arms. Judy happily wrapped her arms around his neck and drew his mouth to hers as Nick carried both of them to the bathroom. He backed through the door and set Judy down.

Nick flicked the light on and he started the bath. Judy plugged her phone into the small stereo system on the shelf over the sink, unlocking it and sorting through some relaxing music. She started off with a stray piece beginning with an eloquent harp strum but Nick wrinkled his nose and shook his head in distaste. Judy shrugged and switched it to a familiar Troggs single, and when she turned to her fox for confirmation he nodded with a wink that made her smile and returned to tending the bath. 

Judy drifted behind him, looping her paws under his arms and began unbuttoning his shirt. She started from the top and worked her way down, each trace of her fingers on his chest sending a small tingle of warmth through the fox. There was nothing rushed about her movements; this was meant to be relaxing, and for both Judy and Nick it was. He spun around just as Judy undid the last button and he stripped the shirt off his shoulders along with the plain tank under it before he helped Judy with her top.

Judy shot a playful smirk when he lifted the shirt off her, and when she stood in nothing but her simple bra she covered her chest and spun her finger around urging the fox to avert his eyes. Nick obliged with another wink. Even if he had seen her naked many times now, Judy was always shy when getting undressed in front of her boyfriend, regardless of whether or not it was him or her doing the undressing.

Nick used this time to check how the bath was coming along. He held his paw under the running water and adjusted a knob before grabbing a bottle from the side and adding some bubbles to the mix. Nothing said relaxation like a pleasant bubble bath made for two.

From behind him Nick heard the soft shuffle of cloth over short fur. The cunning vulpine stole a quick glance over his shoulder to see Judy had turned her back and lost her pants. As he spied her, Judy's fluffy cotton tail twitched as if it knew it was being watched. Nick's fingers tingled at the sight of the softest fur on her body and he almost held his wrist to resist copping a quick feel; there would be time enough for that later. In the meantime, Nick worked to slide his belt from his trousers before dropping trou and stepping out of his pants.

As Nick rid himself of his boxers and welcomed the cool air and traces of steam rising from the warm water, he felt a small paw tap his shoulder and rest there. Her touch was like a little piece of heaven and Nick's relaxed smile widened. He turned once more and was met with Judy's bare form and warm eyes glistening like gems at him. With a slow, sultry walk she closed the remainder of the gap, swinging her hips a little more than necessary and pressing up against his body with a kiss. Nick accepted it gratefully, pulling away only to rest his head against hers.

They both opened their eyes and stared at each other, letting the new calm of the day fall over the room. The subtle air of relaxation was broken only by the flow of running water and the low music of the iPawd. Judy sighed against him, the breath of which being a welcome sensation on the fox's muzzle. She nodded towards the bath and Nick nodded in turn, slipping from her grasp to turn off the faucet. Judy watched him all the way, admiring his lithe but muscular form, and a sense of gratification washed over her as her eyes rested on his hindquarters. She nodded, satisfied with the image burned firmly into her mind.

Nick dipped a testing toe into the water, instinctively retracting it before he slowly moved the rest of his foot and then leg into the steamy water. It was hot, but not uncomfortably so, and as he dipped the rest of his body into the waiting liquid he let the tension of the weekend melt off his muscles as the water worked its magic. Nick rested his arms over the sides of the standing tub and let his head loll back, the heat enveloping him completely.

 

The tranquility would've turned blissful if not for the sudden splash from across the tub that sent a wave of warm water over the fox’s snout and up his nose. Nick sputtered his eyes open to see his bunny sitting across from him with an impish smirk that she quickly covered with her paw. As Judy struggled to cover her laughter, Nick had already adjusted his position, raising partly out of the water and drawing a powerful paw back at the water’s edge.

Judy's eyes widened and she held up her paws.

“Nick….”

He pulled back further and his fingers tickled the surface, testing for his play. Judy shook her head as her devious smile turned nervous.

“Don't you--”

A wave was directed her way and she was fully submerged. Thanks to Nick’s larger upper body strength, Judy was far outclassed on how large of a splash she could produce with the much smaller rabbit limbs she was armed with.

The fox smirked at his ploy, and just as the bunny emerged from the water Nick quickly pushed himself forward to seize her in his arms. Judy squealed with delight when she found herself cocooned in a trap of wet russet, having barely had enough time to catch her second wind.

“Release me, Wilde!” she scoffed haughtily with a snobbish turn of her muzzle. “Or I'll show you just how dangerous a bunny can be,” she threatened from behind her smile.

Nick pat his chin on top of her head, sure of his victory for the moment.

“Never! You started this.”

With her arms restrained at the shoulder but her paws free at her sides, Judy cupped her fingers and swung the water upwards, sending twin splashes careening at Nick’s snout. He yelled with the surprise attack and instinctively released his hold to wipe at his eyes, giving enough leeway for Judy to push the fox till his back rested against the curved edge of the tub. Judy took her slippery escape a step further and moved atop the fox, straddling her legs on either side of his and holding him there with her powerful thighs, the one physical craft she had over his brutish build. Judy seized his wrists in her paws and pulled them behind his head, trapping him and securing victory over the vulpine. This allowed the fox with little opportunity to wipe the slightly stinging water from his vision, and he curled his lip at the discomfort.

Judy leaned in from her advantageous position and whispered to the twitching face of Nick.

“Here. Let me.”

Judy released her hold on one wrist and carefully wiped at his eyes with the soft fur of her pad-less paw. With the intruding water on his eyelids being wiped away, Nick’s eyes stopped their twitching and slowly the sting subsided with a few healthy blinks. When his vision cleared Nick was treated to the pleasing visage of Judy Hopps with her arms on either side of his head and a hair’s breadth away from his muzzle. He smiled and licked his lips.

“Guess I underestimated you again, sly bunny.”

She cocked her head with a smirk.

“When are you ever going to learn, Slick?” Judy drew herself closer and Nick adjusted his paws to rest over her thighs, his thumbs rubbing languidly there.

“When you stop rewarding my efforts,” he replied with a renewed smirk.

“And how should I reward you this time?” she drawled, her eyes lidding halfway.

The music from before faded out and Nick chose his proposed treat to be a thoughtful kiss. He pulled the bunny the rest of the way to his lips and melted into her. Her lips brought back the sense of peace and calm that had been momentarily lost in their tussle. Their breath wound down, heartbeats slowed, and for a moment they just sat breathing heavily and staring at each other. Judy let her shoulders sag, and Nick’s paw rose from her shoulder to smooth the fur on her cheeks, smiling as he did so. Judy broke from his lips and brushed her button nose against his with a giggle before choosing to finally settle in with her fox.

Nick opened his arms and Judy backed into his lap and let her head rest against the wet ruffle of his chest. The wet fur felt nice on hers and the steam helped clear her senses. This was bliss.

For a while they just sat there, the music playing, the steam wafting, and the water soothing. Nick would let his thumbs stroke circles in the fur of Judy's thighs and she would periodically sigh and nuzzle back into him with a wet rustle following her coo. The smell of her was washed away from Nick's senses and was replaced with the sweet smell of bubbly soap and lavender. 

"Pretty soon we'll be living together, Carrots."

Judy nodded and let herself slide down and back against him, her ears dipping low into the welcoming water. Nick wrapped his arms around her belly to keep her safely above the surface. 

"We'll be able to share everything then," he continued, lifting one paw out of the water to begin counting on his fingers. "Food, shampoo. Your toothbrush..."

Judy cocked her head to shoot a disapproving glance up at the fox.

"Ew, Nick, no."

"What? We've swapped worse fluids than spit," he said, nuzzling his cheek against the top of her head.

Judy glowered at his jest but soon replaced her frown with another relaxed smile.

"Worse? Or...better?" she cooed back in a seductive tone.

"Ooh, I like that train of thought..."

They were quiet for a moment. As Nick held Judy near, he tilted his head against hers and released a soundless sigh.

"You think you can manage being around me at all times of the day? I can be quite a pawful."

"It’s not the craziest thing we've done so far." She slipped her paws off of his to steady herself and spin till she was sitting facing Nick. "And we're just getting started."

The track on the radio changed. Both Judy and Nick turned when they heard the first melancholy chords of a Chris Ibex single crooned from the speaker; it was their song. 

Nick couldn't help but take a mental step back and see the full picture before him. He was in the bathtub with his bunny girlfriend. His sweet, passionate, beautiful bunny girlfriend whom he loved more than anything in the world. They had just returned from meeting her family with her father's blessing to move forward with their relationship. They shared the same job in which they were partners and spent every waking hour furthering her dream as a police officer, a job no one ever thought would belong to a bunny. And him, a fox, sharing that job, and not only that, but also her love that she aimed almost entirely towards him. And now they were moving in together.

They were both suddenly aware that they were both naked and entirely alone for what felt like the first time in weeks.

Nick's paws were at her side, having moved when she did, but he returned them to their original positions to stroke her fur under the water. They lifted up her sides, tracing soft touches over her hips and above. His fingers danced over the side of her bust, and as they reached to cup her cheeks Judy's eyes softened. Her lips parted with a breath, and a chill ran up her spine despite the hot water.

"You know," she breathed out shakily, "before we move in, we have to get clean first..." She again licked her lips as his fingers found their way below her chin.

“Yeah?” He lifted her chin as his muzzle neared precariously close to her rapidly twitching nose. “Don't we have to get dirty before we do that?”

Judy’s eyes shut and she nodded eagerly. She hoped so. Her nose stopped its movement as she awaited his lips with hers. Nick smiled and pressed his mouth to hers. Judy's lips parted just enough for Nick’s tongue to slip past and play over hers and she moaned into his mouth. With his free paw, Nick scooped under her rump and pulled the happy bunny into his lap as she wrapped her arms lovingly around his neck.

Soon the pair would move onto the next step of their relationship. Nick had never lived with another mammal, let alone a girlfriend. And if he was being honest with himself, he was a little frightened at what uncertainty the future held. Those thoughts were squelched when Judy giggled against his lips. She wasn't afraid, not as long as she was with him. And whenever his emeralds met her amethysts, the future didn't seem so scary either. They would move in together, spend every day paw in paw, and one day perhaps take the next logical step. Maybe there were even a couple of kits in their future.

Water splashed over the edge of the bath and Nick slid further into the depths with the bunny nibbling happily on his lower lip. This was everything he wanted right now in his life. That tiny bunny was everything he needed.

\---

 

“The world was on fire and no one could save me but you.”

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I used Wicked Game. I've seen two others (that I know of) use the song and it just feels perfect for my favorite couple (despite the tone of the song of course). So I guess that makes me lucky number 3! Yippee!
> 
> I was going to end the story in the previous chapter but Erinnyes wanted a little more fluff and I just couldn't help myself.  
> :)  
> Until next time! I've got some wonderful smut that I'm working on so look forward to that, eheh:p


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